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Nail biting is a very common habit that mostly affects kids but it can be present in adults and older people too. about it is manifested by biting one's fingernails or toenails during periods of nervousness, stress or boredom.
Like any other stereotypic movement, nail biting can be caused by:
- sensory deprivation (blindness or deafness)
- drug use (cocaine, amphetamines)
- brain disease (seizures, infection)
- major psychiatric disorders (anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism)
- mental retardation
Nail biting is, according to Freudian theory, a symptom of oral fixation.
It is very important to know that, although many situations can give rise to stereotypic movements, the root cause of stereotypic movement disorder is unknown.
Different theories propose that the causes are:
- behavioral
- neurological
- genetic
Although there are many theories about this disorder, no hard evidence clearly supports either line of reasoning or specific cause.
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