61 replies to this topic

[JGirl]

nail biting is not a disorder. geez
it is a symptom of other issues, not the issue itself. address why you do it, and you will be able to control it.

[Hasina]

JGirl, on 04 November 2012 - 07:01 PM, said:

nail biting is not a disorder. geez
it is a symptom of other issues, not the issue itself. address why you do it, and you will be able to control it.

That's the reason why it's classed as a mental disorder. The article says: 'The American Psychiatric Association is preparing to change the designation of nail biting from ‘not otherwise classified,’ to ‘obsessive compulsive disorder’ in its upcoming issue of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, NBC News reported.' OCD shows itself in many different ways, nail biting is just one of innumerable ways that it manifests. OCD itself is a mental disorder which is usually brought on by another issue. It's a symptom of the underlying problem, as you said, but that doesn't mean we should exclude something because it seems 'normal' and 'easy to stop', sometimes these issues aren't easy to face and many people can never face them fully.

Edited by Hasina, 04 November 2012 - 07:06 PM.

[JGirl]

Hasina, on 04 November 2012 - 07:05 PM, said:

That's the reason why it's classed as a mental disorder. The article says: 'The American Psychiatric Association is preparing to change the designation of nail biting from ‘not otherwise classified,’ to ‘obsessive compulsive disorder’ in its upcoming issue of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, NBC News reported.' OCD shows itself in many different ways, nail biting is just one of innumerable ways that it manifests. OCD itself is a mental disorder which is usually brought on by another issue. It's a symptom of the underlying problem, as you said, but that doesn't mean we should exclude something because it seems 'normal' and 'easy to stop', sometimes these issues aren't easy to face and many people can never face them fully.

i understand it differnetly than you .
a symptom of a disorder is not a disorder.
nail biting is not the disorder. there are several things that might cause one to habitually bite one's nails, and not all of them are going to be due to mental illness.
i notice that these experts are creating pill poppers out of the general population with their claims that virtually any problem in life is due to mental illness.
what crap

[Hasina]

JGirl, on 04 November 2012 - 07:15 PM, said:

i understand it differnetly than you .
a symptom of a disorder is not a disorder.
nail biting is not the disorder. there are several things that might cause one to habitually bite one's nails, and not all of them are going to be due to mental illness.
i notice that these experts are creating pill poppers out of the general population with their claims that virtually any problem in life is due to mental illness.
what crap

It's the outward sign of the disorder. It's like the flu, many people show the normal signs, runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, etc. Those aren't the actual virus, the virus is the flu, not the symptoms, but we treat the symptoms to treat the virus. I do agree with you, not all nail biting is OCD, but some nail biting could be OCD. It's like the old phrase, not all rectangles are squares but all squares are rectangles.

People themselves need to take stock in what's actually wrong with them, if they want to run to the doctors every time they think something is wrong with them, let them. The experts are there to provide this to you, it's up to you if you think you're crazy enough to need pills. But again, this doesn't make experts holier then though people who's words should be taken as the solid truth, they can be wrong. Take every advice they give you with a grain of salt. Just because it's not true for you doesn't mean it's not true for someone. The worst problem of this pill popper generation are the parents who think their children are hyperactive because, gosh golly, they're acting like children.

You'll always have people in the middle, the people who may need pills to control certain things and they get on normally with life, then you have the people who don't need pills who get on just fine, then on the complete other side you have the people who believe something is wrong, think they need a pill because something might be wrong. It's the good, the bad, and the ugly. Just because some people will take advantage of these things 'man, I bite my nails, I must be OCD, pills plz,' doesn't mean it won't help someone who actually needs to be helped. Everyone part of the system has something wrong with it. From the individual to the very highest person, we're all complacent in it, but that doesn't give everything a completely black or white summation. 'Nail biting is a disorder!' nor is it 'nail biting isn't a disorder!' it's, 'for some people who exhibit this kind of behavior it could be a sign of underlying problem, it's up to the individual to have the moral and mental capacity to see that yes, it is actually a problem and not just a gross habit, and then go to someone who can help them.'

Edited by Hasina, 04 November 2012 - 07:37 PM.

[pallidin]

Nail bitting?
Hmmm... that makes sense now. I had always wondered how my garage suddenly collapsed after several visits from my nephew.

Edited by pallidin, 04 November 2012 - 07:30 PM.

[lsra]

I agree with JGirl, I think it's a symptom of the disorder rather than the disorder itself. My 7 year old son has Asperger's Syndrome, and hebites his nails down to the quick.  He does it when he's particularly stressed about something. His therapist says it's a coping mechanism.

[Hasina]

The symptoms of a disorder are still part of the disorder. OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder, as the article has stated, is what nail biting is classified as, and that's in the most extreme cases which fit into the criteria of obsessive compulsive disorder.

[JGirl]

Hasina, on 04 November 2012 - 07:26 PM, said:

It's the outward sign of the disorder. It's like the flu, many people show the normal signs, runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, etc. Those aren't the actual virus, the virus is the flu, not the symptoms, but we treat the symptoms to treat the virus. I do agree with you, not all nail biting is OCD, but some nail biting could be OCD. It's like the old phrase, not all rectangles are squares but all squares are rectangles.

People themselves need to take stock in what's actually wrong with them, if they want to run to the doctors every time they think something is wrong with them, let them. The experts are there to provide this to you, it's up to you if you think you're crazy enough to need pills. But again, this doesn't make experts holier then though people who's words should be taken as the solid truth, they can be wrong. Take every advice they give you with a grain of salt. Just because it's not true for you doesn't mean it's not true for someone. The worst problem of this pill popper generation are the parents who think their children are hyperactive because, gosh golly, they're acting like children.

You'll always have people in the middle, the people who may need pills to control certain things and they get on normally with life, then you have the people who don't need pills who get on just fine, then on the complete other side you have the people who believe something is wrong, think they need a pill because something might be wrong. It's the good, the bad, and the ugly. Just because some people will take advantage of these things 'man, I bite my nails, I must be OCD, pills plz,' doesn't mean it won't help someone who actually needs to be helped. Everyone part of the system has something wrong with it. From the individual to the very highest person, we're all complacent in it, but does that doesn't give everything a completely black or white summation. 'Nail biting is a disorder!' nor is it 'nail biting isn't a disorder!' it's, 'for some people who exhibit this kind of behavior it could be a sign of underlying problem, it's up to the individual to have the moral and mental capacity to see that yes, it is actually a problem and not just a gross habit, and then go to someone who can help them.'

i wouldn't argue these points, but to say my basic issue with respect to it is the frequency with which these newfound disorders are popping up, and often - most often - being treated with hard core drugs. i have some experience both first hand as well as with people in my life,
in any case, i'm not opposed to viewing something like this as an issue that needs further evaluation or perhaps counselling, but grouping it with mental illness is a bridge i'm not willing to cross.

[JGirl]

lsra, on 04 November 2012 - 07:32 PM, said:

I agree with JGirl, I think it's a symptom of the disorder rather than the disorder itself. My 7 year old son has Asperger's Syndrome, and hebites his nails down to the quick.  He does it when he's particularly stressed about something. His therapist says it's a coping mechanism.

yes, and my original point was that if a person addressed the reason for nail biting they could control it - as in perhaps find a more efffective or healthier coping tool.
i don't see how the nail biting in itself could ever be thought of as a disorder.

[Hasina]

symptom
noun
1.any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and serving as evidence of it.
2.a sign or indication of something.
3.Pathology . a phenomenon that arises from and accompanies a particular disease or disorder and serves as an indication of it.

How do you know if you have the flu? Do you go to the doctor, get your blood drawn, have them do tests, then come back to you with a 'yup, there's flu viruses all up in you', or do you look at your symptoms (runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, etc and so forth), conclude you might, then go see the doctor? Symptoms are indicators of the problems, symptoms are caused by the disorder or disease or what have you, they are part of the disorder or disease. Like my analogy; all squares are rectangle but not all rectangles are squares. Sometimes a runny node is allergies, sometimes it's the flu, sometimes biting your nails is just you being nervous, other times it's because you have actually do have an underlying mental disorder like, such as the way they have classified it in this one instance, OCD.

Edited by Hasina, 04 November 2012 - 07:48 PM.

[JGirl]

Hasina, on 04 November 2012 - 07:48 PM, said:

symptom
noun
1.any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and serving as evidence of it.
2.a sign or indication of something.
3.Pathology . a phenomenon that arises from and accompanies a particular disease or disorder and serves as an indication of it.

How do you know if you have the flu? Do you go to the doctor, get your blood drawn, have them do tests, then come back to you with a 'yup, there's flu viruses all up in you', or do you look at your symptoms (runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, etc and so forth), conclude you might, then go see the doctor? Symptoms are indicators of the problems, symptoms are caused by the disorder or disease or what have you, they are part of the disorder or disease. Like my analogy; all squares are rectangle but not all rectangles are squares. Sometimes a runny node is allergies, sometimes it's the flu, sometimes biting your nails is just you being nervous, other times it's because you have actually do have an underlying mental disorder like, such as the way they have classified it in this one instance, OCD.

those definitions basically say what i said. i  have bolded the parts i mean
i don't argue that it is sometimes an indicator of mental illness, i thought i made that clear.
i am arguing that it is not a disorder unto itself

[Hasina]

JGirl, on 04 November 2012 - 07:58 PM, said:

those definitions basically say what i said. i  have bolded the parts i mean
i don't argue that it is sometimes an indicator of mental illness, i thought i made that clear.
i am arguing that it is not a disorder unto itself

I think the article itself is actually what's mislabeled.. It's saying that nail biting is being made a mental disorder, it's not, it's being classified as a sign of OCD. So yeah, you're right on that point.

[MissMelsWell]

Simbi Laveau, on 04 November 2012 - 04:24 PM, said:

Yes,but if its classified as a disorder,they can prescribe them psych meds ! Isn't that wonderful !
Another way to make money off another sickness that doesn't even exist !

I wonder if I could get my doc to prescribe me a manicure! And have my health insurance cover it!

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

All it took for me to quit biting my nails was an attractive girl saying "that's disgusting", I stopped pronto after that

[Simbi Laveau]

This can also be a symptom of abuse. I knew a girl who had been abused as a child,and she used to pull all her eyelashes out.
Nail biting is *not* a disorder ,nor has it been for well over a century . This is nonsense ,so they can actually prescribe nail biters meds .
Ridiculous ,absolutely ridiculous .....Also,its one article ,I dare say not all in the medical field are so lame,that they will concur.

Edited by Simbi Laveau, 04 November 2012 - 11:01 PM.