Are lip and cheek biting signs of stress and anxiety?

Just a piece of advice first: all parents are really sensitive when it comes to their children. You need to act wise there and not just go in like that.

Lip and cheek biting are signs of stress and anxiety, they are actually common symptoms of stress and anxiety but if you see a person biting their lips or cheeks, it doesn't necessarily have to mean that they are suffering from anxiety. People do these kind of things when they are nervous or they are just thinking about something that is making them nervous or unsure. So she doesn't necessarily has to have anxiety.

Hey Hannah,

Guest is right, all the people suffering from stress and anxiety are biting their lips and cheeks, and biting their nails and stuff like that. However, they are not the only ones who are doing it, people who are simply nervous about something can also be doing it, so seeing someone on the street doing these kinds of things isn't a proper indication that these people are suffering from stress or anxiety. 

I am totally against the thought of your niece being stressed or anxious, come on, she is 10 years old. That is simply not possible, no worries there.

The first cause of cheek biting is what I call “careless chewing.” It’s something we all probably do from time to time. It’s when you’re chewing and usually trying to do something else, talking, reaching for something, reading etc. Talking is really the biggest culprit here). This can be remedied by perhaps paying a little more attention to chewing, slowing down while eating, and similar. Although this is also a symptom of stress and anxiety, most of us are doing it and we aren't suffering from stress or anxiety, are we? I hope that this answers your question, I hope I helped.

I agree with Nina here, the girl is way too young to be stressful or anxious. Come on, if she was stressful or anxious now, that would leave huge consequences on her future life. Are her parents okay, is she happy with them, she is having a good life? If there are no reasons for her to be stressful, then she probably isn't, she is just 10 for Christ's sake!

About the question regarding lip and cheek biting, yes, it can mean that this person is suffering from too much stress or anxiety, but not necessarily, like others have already told you.

Hey there. Yes, I do understand that parents can overreact sometimes when it comes to their kids, but she just keeps doing this all the time and I saw it. So that is why I believe that they are not being overreacting in this case. Today she was biting her lip so hard that her lip started to bleed. I don't know how a kid that has so little years can be anxious. I mean, can it be? I am reading your comments and I can see that it doesn't have to mean it but... I really hope that this is not it.

Good day everyone. Like somebody already told you, it doesn't have to mean and you know why? Because I am biting my lips and my cheeks as well like forever and I am not stressed or I am not dealing with anxiety as well. Yes, it can be a sign of stress and anxiety as well but it doesn't necessary mean that this kid is stressed. Maybe is just one ugly habit, just like I have it. Anyway, just to be sure, you need to tell your sister and her husband to go and to check with some doctors are there any reasons to be worried about it. Good luck.

I am aware that this is very common symptom when it comes to anxiety and stress but still I don't have idea why this kid should be stressed about at all? Maybe she has some problems in her school and she doesn't want to tell this to no one? I don't know.

I was talking to my sister and I told her earlier that this doesn't necessarily mean that she is dealing with stress, but she told me that her kid never had this ugly habits. How can doctor can tell is kid stressed or not? I am not sure....

If this is a stress or anxiety it should be treated. Generally, doctors should find the cause of it and it should be treated - just like wounds should be cleaned and treated. Cheek biting or lip biting is actually just another form of anxiety disorder that is quite uncommon to all of us. This may be directed as an obsessive - compulsive disorder that many sufferers don’t consider a problem. That is something that should be investigated by the doctor or even the physician. Usually cheek biting is triggered by stress and bouts of anxiety. Because of such habit, the sufferer tends to gain relief from stress. So you need to find the cause.

Really? You can't just say because her niece is 10 she can't get stressed. Stress can affect people as young as 5. And yes lip and cheek biting are common signs of stress or anxiety. But I think its just a reaction to nervousness. If you think that it's affecting her health see a doctor.

also if her school has guidance counsellors maybe get her to see one. Even I she doesn't talk about it a counsellor can find out very quickly and offer solutions.

I bite my lip constantly, not just when I'm bored or nervous but all the time! How do I stop biting my lip?