Hypnotherapy has been getting increasing acceptance as an effective cure for many types of compulsive behavior like Nail Biting. Nail biting is often perpetuated as an inveterate behavior sustained by involuntary repetition of the act. It is well known that the long established is a habit, the more difficult it is to get rid of it. A habit is like a tree. Once a tree grows strong with its roots firmly entrenched into the earth, a simple plucking out will become impossible. This is the main reason why people are unable to give up habits like smoking, biting their nails, drug addiction etc.
Nail biting starts as a casual and harmless pastime in early childhood. It is simple, does not cost money and can be readily executed any time with no external help. But over a period, this becomes an irresistible habit. You feel that it is a stupid activity. It does not even give you any sensation like smoking or taking drugs gives. If anything, nail biting can only cause pain and irritation, in addition to embarrassment and ridicule, if done in the presence of others. You want to stop biting your nails once for all. It appears so simple. You just have to stop doing. But you find that you are helpless.
Sometimes, you do not even realize that you are engaged in biting your finger nails. You become aware of it after a while. Worse still, you wake up to the fact only after someone points it out to you, often with a derisive comment. You pull off your finger in a jerk. But that is only for the moment. But you feel the urge to bite your nails again. Is there a way to stop this, you wonder.
Here is where hypnotherapy comes in. Hypnotherapy is the application of the technique of hypnosis to effect a cure. Hypnotherapy simply means using hypnosis as a form of therapy. But what is hypnosis anyway? Hypnosis involves use of suggestions when a person is in a state of semi sleep in such a way that the suggestions will bypass the person’s conscious mind and penetrate the sub-conscious mind. Since the problem of nail biting, like several other problems are routed in the sub-conscious mind, it becomes possible to cure a person of the habit of nail biting. Often our conscious intention is thwarted by the sub-conscious mind which harbors a contrary desire