Do you bite your nails? Nail-biting is something we consider a way to deal with being nervous but could it mean something else entirely?
According to one study nail biting may be a sign of something we would never have guessed, perfectionism. This study was published in the Journal of Behavioral Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry and the author of the study, Dr. Kieron O’Connor says that it boils down to nail-biters are not trying to stop their nerves from being so bad, they’re just frustrated.
This study consisted of 48 participants who had repetitive behaviors like nail-biting. These participants filled out surveys and in this their organizational behavior and emotional regulation abilities were tested. As it turns out the nail-biters of the group were organizational perfectionists. They make detailed plans and overwork themselves, to say the least.
This, in the end, causes them to become frustrated easily when things are going off track. Nail-biting is a way to take their frustration out on themselves without causing a scene. This meaning people who bite their nails might not be nervous at all, just releasing their pent up energy. Check out the video below for information on nail-biting and why you should stop doing it no matter the reason behind it.