Anxiety, Stress, and Lip/Cheek Biting

Hi my name is Jane...and Im a cheek biter....lmbo!!!...I'm sorry but I felt I had to get that out. Seriously I suffer from every characterics named in everyone's post. Sorry, I have not found any remedy either but I too think its psychological. I tried stopping cold turkey and it only lasted a day. I've been thinking of crazy stuff like asking the hospital could I have some of that clear tape-looking stuff they put on people over a fresh incision....lol...I know it sounds crazy but this is very nerve recking itself!  Soooooo I'm hoping too that someone finds and answer!!!!

Hi, I bite the skin under my lip so much that I get a sore jaw. I wonder if we are all missing the big picture. What if we try getting to the rout of our anxiety and stress, After all, if its bad enough to make us bite ourselves, its got to be doing other horrible things to our bodies as well. Maybe its time for some meditation and spa music :)

 Ive had this same problem since about junior high and i know its because of stress. Im really worried that this is going to have negative consequences in the future because i can already see stretched/ruptured veins on the outside of my cheeks from stretching it so far just to reach that piece of skin. im also worried because the habit has only gotten worse since my anxiety is growing as well. i dont know what to do or how to stop or to even calm my nerves without some sort of oral fixation (smoking, drinking, eating, chewing, biting, etc.)

when i used to bite my nails i remember my mom gave me a nail polish that tasted nasty and i was wondering if there was a similar remedy for the mouth. i REALLY need to stop while im young (im 20) ..before i get some major wrinkles from this difficult and annoying habit. ughh help meeee

Ok, I want all of you to consider the possibilities of why you have an oral fixation..  

I've have been battling with lip biting and cuticle nail biting since I was young. I think I remember the first time I started biting my lip. It actually started when I was in daycare. One of my favorite teacher's was standing near the bulletin putting up the new events coming up and while I was looking at it. I noticed here chewing on her cheek. But the way she was doing it made me think it was kinda cool. As funny as it sounds, I really did think it was cool. I looked up to her then. I noticed her doing it before but didn't think any thing of it till then. So soon after that, I started chewing on my cheek so I can look as cool as her. Then one chewing led to biting lips. I was biting on my cuticles before but as soon as I started really biting and chewing on my lips and cheeks I really started to do it all. A Lot! It's really good to hear everyone saying the same exact thing I do. Just typing and reading your stories makes me sick to my stomach because I want to bite so bad but I now notice it and I want to stop so bad. I'm hearing a lot of different things about getting cancer and not getting cancer from biting or chewing. One site posts about how you can really damage your lips but you can't get cancer but other's are posting about how you can get cancer. So I think I really need to just stop. My husband hates it when I bite and chew my lips and cheeks and he says to just stop doing it for a month. Just give your mouth a break for awhile, he says. But it's not that easy. As soon as I forget about it and stress or I'm in deep thought about something, I start to do it again. Even friends ask me why I do it. I really need to stop..

Okay im 14 years old and i just started biting my cheek about 2 weeks ago....i only bite the left side...there is a gash in my cheek but i cant stop biting it no matter how hard i try.
It doesnt hurt at all....but it bugs the c**p out of me.....i also have a problem with biting the inside of my lower lip....i also tend to bite my nails.....i would really like to stop.:D
If anyone can help me i would be very thankful for the help.

It is very helpful to read these posts (they help to remind myself the importance of dealing with this problem). From experience, the nail biting can be stopped by cutting the nails short all the time.Over time, you will note that because no nail is available to bite, you will no longer do it. Years later you may notice that you have longer nails but the enticement to bite is now gone. Hence is a habit forming behavior.

It looks like there are various methods that people in this forum have tried to stop biting and the gum seems to generally work as a temporary measure. Essentially a concious effort is what iit is suppose to take but somehow people fall back on the wagon in not too long. A solution that has worked for me has been to focus on what is causing the anxiety and work to deal with it. Anxiety in general or stress isn't good, so in working to find an outlet for that stress you will find yourself better able to deal with the habitual self-biting. Try going to the gym, going out for runs, or getting away from the environment that is causing the stress. The stress is killing us in more ways than we might think. Hope this is helpful.

-Recovering Nail and Cheek Biter

I have been doing the same thing since I was about 5 (first time I noticed seemed to coincide with the stress of my dad remarrying after my mom and he divorced). Anymore (at age 31), if I am hungry, have eaten something sugary or am stressed I'll catch myself doing it. Once I've started, I can't stop.

I have noticed it seems to help if I brush and mouthwash AS SOON as I catch myself doing it, or keep my mouth occupied with gum or hard candy. Temporary fixes though.

Interesting someone earlier mentioned hypnosis. I have been learning to practice hypnosis, and I believe that self-hypnosis (really quite similar to meditation) helped me quit smoking. It hadn't occurred to me to try hypnosis to cure this problem, but I'm very interested in giving it a shot, and I'll let you know how that goes.

As you know, this habit is maddening. The toughest part for me is that it doesn't hurt while I'm doing it. But it kills a day or two later. I wish it would just hurt from the start - seems like that would help get my subconscious brain to pick up the hint.

I too have been doing it since I can remember and am now 30. It seems to be related to stress, boredom and even when I'm dehydrated. Once I got too drunk and bit until I had a gash, that need stitches inside of my cheek. So embarrassing. After that I swore I'd quit but here I am doing it, as I google it, and reply about it without stopping! I will reprimand my child for doing it, because my own mother had seen me when I was young but thought I was cute, doing a 'thinking' pose. Nope--just starting a shameful taboo lifelong habit. But at least I quit smoking!

THIS IS A BAD BAD HABIT, I MYSELF HAVE THIS POKING,PICKING,BITING THE LIPS AND INSIDE THE MOUTH TICK, AND IT ALL STARTED WHEN I FINALLY DECIDED TO QUIT BITING MY NAILS AND QUIT SMOKING AT THE SAME TIME. I THINK MY BODY THOUGHT IWAS CRAZY QUITTING COLD TURKEY AND QUITING A LIFE LONG NAIL BITING TICK. I HAVE TRIED LIPSTICK, GUM, DRINKING WATER LITERALLY EVERY 30 MINUTES, TELLING MY HUSBAND,FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO STOP ME WHEN THEY SEE ME DOING IT,BECAUSE I NEVER CATCH MYSELF UNTIL I TASTE SOME BLOOD OR IT LITERALLY GUSHES OUT. ITS BAD!!! I NOTICED ITS STRESS RELATED BECAUSE DURING FINALS MY LIPS ARE DESTROYED, I REALLY NEED TO PUT ON LIPSTICK SO MY LIPS DONT LOOK LIKE I HAVE A DISEASE OF SOME SORT BECAUSE THE MUTLIPLE BLEEDING SITES DONT HEAL IN 1 DAY, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE. I HAVE READ PEOPLES STORIES AND IT WORRIES ME THAT I WONT BE ABLE TO STOP EITHER, JUST THE THOUGHT OF IT MAKES ME PICK AT MY LIP AGAIN. IF ANYONE HAS ANY BETTER IDEAS TO QUIT, I AM ALL EARS.

Cheek chewing the to the point of dripping, gushing blood or stitches, lip biting, cuticle tearing (Black Swan style), nail biting, toe nail tearing, skin tearing on toes, scratching at scalp even though it doesn't itch and causing it to bleed and form scabs, picking at the scabs, picking at the tiniest bump on face...you all are nuts!!! Oh wait, so am I! I haven't had to get stitches yet, but I have gotten worried due to lots of blood. I don't enough red meat, it's my way of getting my iron. Just kidding, it's just a terrible, ugly, disgusting slew of bad habits. Sometimes I wonder how I manage to look good and not show my inner crazy on my sleeve. How did I find a man that thought I was still pretty with all of that ugliness? I make a daily effort to stop, I just CAN'T!! I eat candy which helps only as long as the candy lasts, and let's face it, we can't eat candy all Fay, we would have more issues. Gum works until either my jaw starts to ache (TMJ, which a lot of you oral fixation people out there might have due to your chewing, gnawing, clenching, etc...) or I get sick of chewing it. Brushing my teeth only works if I'm out for blood that day. Having people tell me to stop just gets me irritated with my family when they try. Anti-anxiety medication and happy pills don't make it go away. I have an idea!! Let's all get our jaws wired shut! I saw a girl on one of the original reality shows way back when do it to lose weight. We have a good reason, anti-self mutilation, anti-cannibalism, anti-mouth cancer, anti-TMJ, anti-blood breath, anti-too much blood stomach ache, etc... Idea two- gets our bottom 6, front teeth taken out (top would be too ugly). No, in all seriousness, I have been doing all the anxiety habits for years. They didn't all start at once, but I can do them all at once now! That took years of practice and crazy person talent classes. If I had to put a number on it I would put it at 20 years. I am terrified of mouth cancer! I hate this about myself, but I am a bit vein, 1/2 of a face would not work for me. I have never been addicted to a substance, so I can't speak with certainty, but I think this is worse. At least with substances you have to actually think about it when you leave your house to fall of the wagon on your way to the store (or dealer I suppose). I can throw my cheeks, fingers, toes, etc..., out or hide them away, They are with you ALL the time! There is no rehab or CCA (cheek chewers anonymous). Our willpower and mind are our only weapons! Kinda sucks, especially since if my mind was functioning properly, I wouldn't have the problem. How can our problem also be our weapon against it's self? Face it, we got screwed. So, Antonella down for a group jaw wiring session? I wonder if we can get a group rate? ; )

I have a horrible cheek biting problem, and I'm worried my daughter will pick up this habit since I picked it up from someone else. I find that I have a particularly hard time with it when I am in any sort of pain.(Cramps or headache) I was wondering if any of you also suffer from bruxism (tooth grinding) I am going to ask my Dr if there is anything that can be done. Sometimes it gets so bad that it gives me a headache, and I do believe that this habit will give us premature wrinkles around the mouth. Someone once told me it takes about 21 days to creat a habit, which is pretty much what it is, so if we can not bite for 21 days maybe we can creat a better habit. I'm going to make a good effort to stop, I'm at the point pretty much that I'm aware when I'm doing it, so wish us all luck!

i have been chewing my cheeks sor a while now and i've read that it is an obsessive compulsive behavior and it could possibly be linked to tourrette's syndrome. My  daughter was recently diagnosed with tourettes and  when i started to do some research on this disorder it mentioned that OCD and ADHD is very common with tourrette's and that it is genetically passed down to the child. i have a mild case of OCD and her father has it too, as well as children on his side having ADHD.

I can't believe someone else has the same issue with their teeth! I've been doing this for at least 13yrs, and have been so ashamed that I've damaged my teeth.

I know exactly how you feel, i constantly bite my cheeks and also search aroung for new, rough skin to bite off. Before i would bite all of area's my cheeks even all at the back(i would strech my mouth in a weird way to get to the back of my mouth) but about a month ago i started willing my self to stop. Any time i did it, i will think "you must stop this annoying habit" and i would immediately stop..my little sister also said i looked stupid and it annoys her. Gradually, i stoped biting all around and limited it to the front of my mouth. While reding your post i felt the back of my mouth and realised it was smooth onces more:-P i dont know when or why i started but reading the articles i think it was stress related..come to think of it..it was a year ago about the time of promotion exams and i really wanted to get into the class of my choice so i think thats where it began. WOW..my promotion exams begin next week..i hope i dont start:-| :'(