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RadioActive697 · May 1, 2010, 09:09 PM

WARNING: If you have a weak stomach, you might not want to read.
Well I'm a normal person (sometimes) I make good grades and I do sports. But lately I've notice that I put a lot of things in my mouth. Like sometimes my hand will be really dirty but without realizing I sometimes bite my nails while my hands are dirty. Then I will put my earphones in my mouth sometimes when I'm bored. And when I have peeled a scab off I will eat it. And I will put pens and pencils in my mouth also. Please Help! Thax!

Fr_Chuck · May 1, 2010, 09:20 PM

Eating peeled scabs, and knowing you are doing this,? Yes you have things to worry about.

kp2171 · May 1, 2010, 09:27 PM

Any changes in your life recently?

How would you describe yourself in terms of being independent?

RadioActive697 · May 1, 2010, 10:03 PM

Fr_Chuck, I don't do it on purpose. It just happen when I get bored. I just do it. And I've tried stopping but its like a habbit.

RadioActive697 · May 1, 2010, 10:11 PM

kp2171, no changes in my life. I've started playing football and I just join this club at my school. But that's it. As for being independent I'm good at that. And I'm a girl and I'm 13 if that helps.

Clough · May 1, 2010, 10:21 PM

Hi, RadioActive697!

Who is in control of doing those things that you're concerned about, please?

Thanks!

Wondergirl · May 1, 2010, 10:27 PM

It might be a bad habit, and it might be something called pica. Have you made a serious attempt to break the habit? If not, would you be willing to give it an honest try?

RadioActive697 · May 2, 2010, 05:37 AM

Clough, I really don't know. I guess my hand. I don't know. It just happens when I pay the least amount of attention. Sometimes I will catch myself but most of the time I won't.

RadioActive697 · May 2, 2010, 05:56 AM

Wondergirl, I have tried breaking the habbit. But when I start. I'll do great for the first couple of days then I will go back to the same habbit. And yes I will be willing to give it a honest try. I haven't told my mom or my dad or my friends cause I will be embarrassed.

jenniepepsi · May 20, 2010, 06:59 PM

I do this hon. Honsetly it won't HURT anything. But it is unsightly and embarrassing. I haven't found a way to stop chewing my finger nails and eating (yes eating) the dead skin around my finger nail cuticles. But eveyrone is right. A great deal of it is tied into stress. I would sit down and think about anytyhing that may be stressing you. And keep a journal. Anytime you find yourself subconciously chewing biting and eating, write down what you are doing, what time of day it is, and what you were thinking about. You may see a pattern and it may help to get the answer to the problem.

Good luck hon. And don't stress too much about it lol. Its not a huge deal. UNLESS you start developing a disorder called pica, in which you are accually EATING non edible items (body pieces like scabs not included) meaning cat litter, landry soap, paper, toilet tissue, glue, crayons pencils, etc.

RadioActive697 · May 21, 2010, 07:30 PM

Thanks!

Wondergirl · May 21, 2010, 07:49 PM

Maybe you have what's called an oral fixation and need something in your mouth, something to chew. Maybe chew sugarless gum (doing that improves brainpower, btw) or carry some sugarless fruit drops to suck on. Or have handy a liver sausage sandwich with mayo and horseradish on it? Oooops, forget the last thing I mentioned.

Clough · May 21, 2010, 08:53 PM

I would be interested in how chewing sugarless gum increases brain power Wondergirl.

How does it, please?

Thanks!

Wondergirl · May 21, 2010, 09:32 PM

Sugarless so you don't get fat.

Read the how and the why taken from a longer article at Forget What You Heard in School, Chewing Gum Activates Your Brain (or Google the keywords "brain chewing gum") --

Chewing Gum And Learning Are Linked

Teachers have a 'thing' about chewing gun in class - it freaks them out. They never think ahead - that when the dam bursts - the gum can be used to occlude the cracks and save us all. Just kidding. Chewing gum is a learning-tool - as real as a big, red, juicy apple.

If you want to seriously improve your memory up to 28%, improve your IQ about 15 points, and concentrate like Al Einstein...

Did you know that Al was a lifelong 'dyslexic', and was totally frustrated by reading because his brain reversed words and spelling? Dyslexia taught Einstein to rely on his 'imagination' - the right-brain.

To access your memory and concentration - become a master-learner ...Chew Gum. What happens is that the act of chewing speeds up your heartbeat and blood pressure just enough to wake up both left-and right hemispheres to get "in-sync," to work together. [continued]

Clough · May 21, 2010, 09:49 PM

Would chewing gum during a learning activity be similar to allowing small children to move around the room when they're having a story read to them?

I'm sure that you know where I'm coming from with that, Wondergirl!

Thanks!

jenniepepsi · May 21, 2010, 10:21 PM

My daughter has sensory processing disorder and is constantly mouthing chewing and sucking on items. This year in kindergarten (she graduated today YAY!) the school psychologist got her a necklace with a rubber chewy thing on it for her. The gum would serve the same purpose for you. (as my daughter gets older we will probably use gum, as no 10 year old wants to be seen wearing a 'chewy' lol)

Clough · May 21, 2010, 10:53 PM

Hi, jenniepepsi!

Congratulations on your daughter's graduation! :)

Would you please let your daughter know, that someone from very far away congratulated her?

She might get a "kick" out of that!

Thanks!

jenniepepsi · May 22, 2010, 10:14 AM

Lol hey clough! She did seem to get a kick out of it. She stared at the screen with big eyes and then said 'can we go visit him? Does he have a beach?" lol

Clough · May 22, 2010, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by jenniepepsi

lol hey clough! she did seem to get a kick out of it. she stared at the screen with big eyes and then said 'can we go visit him? does he have a beach?" lol

Yes, we do have beaches around here! Also, we have one of the largest rivers in the world, the Mississippi and I have two grand pianos in my living room and I own a cat! :)

lJ. · Aug 2, 2010, 10:57 PM

It seems like it has become a common behavoir to you so that is one reason why it is constant like a pattern. It could be how you are dealing with anxiety. Maybe even though you don't notice you are doing it, subconsciencly, it distracts you and puts your mind at work. You should try to break this behavoir.