Nail biting is a stress-relieving habit adopted by many children and adults. People usually bite their nails when they are nervous, stressed, hungry or bored. All of these things have something in common, and that is anxiety.

Nail biting can also be a sign of other emotional or mental disorders. In such circumstances, people are not aware of the fact that they are biting their nails. Some people also bite their nails while sleeping, like an unconscious habit. This leads us to a stage where the habit of nail biting cannot be stopped voluntarily. One requires a lot of will power to eliminate this habit and it can be a very difficult process.

A research project shows that nail biting is very common among children between the ages of 10 and 18. Some young adults, ranging from 18 to 22 years, also sometimes bite their nails. Other than this, only a small number of adults bite their nails, and they usually overcome the habit by the age of 30 by themselves.