The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

Students’ stress leads to unpleasant bad habits

From nail-biting to teeth clenching, everyone has bad habits. While it may simply seem like compulsion to some, psychologists say differently.

According to an article on steadyhealth.com, it is estimated that 44 percent of adolescents develop some sort of bad habit, the most common being nail-biting.

“I sometimes bite my nails,” senior Lawrence Yen said. “I don’t really know why I do it; it’s just an automatic thing.”

People usually bite their nails when they are stressed out, nervous or simply bored. However, it can also be a sign of an emotional disorder known as chronic Onychophagia. Chronic Onychophagia is more common in boys than girls and can be described as a mild form of self-mutilation.

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According to www.webmd.com, nail-biting is often a learned behavior and can often be linked to other body-focused repetitive behaviors such as skin-picking and hair-pulling because it is an easy way for children to substitute their problems with the nail-biting itself.

So when students bite their nails it is not because they are hungry, but instead because it helps them replace their anxiety with something concrete.

“When I am doing work or just thinking, I bite my nails because it’s something to do while I focus,” Yen said.

Although nail-biting may release some tension and stress, it is an easy way for bacteria to enter the body. When people bite their nails, they are putting the germs from everything they touch in their mouth, which causes people who bite their nails to get sick more often.

According to medlineplus.com, nail-biting could also result in infection of the skin, commonly known as Paronychia. Paronychia is an infection, in which the area around the nails becomes swollen and red. In some cases the nail might start appearing detached or have an unusual change in color.

While nail-biting is the most common bad habit, students also have other ways of coping with work or anxiety.

“I always play around with my jewelry,” senior Allison Bloom said. “During tests, I play with my necklace and move my ring from one finger to another.”

Some students, like senior Thomas Kim, play around and tug on the front pieces of their hair as a way to cover up their fidgeting.

“I put my hand on my hair and [scratch] my head in class so I don’t have to tap my pencil or cause a lot of [noise],”Kim said.

Senior Josh Reback, on the other hand, claims that chewing on his shirt is a bad habit he began in the summer after fifth grade.

“It was probably related to me being nervous about starting middle school,” Reback said.

Reback, like many other students, does not really know why the habit has stuck with him for so long.

“If I am wearing a nice shirt I try to limit the biting,” Reback said. “I bite my shirt anytime during the day and every class, the habit doesn’t turn off depending where I am.”

Reback has tried many methods to breaking the habit such as chewing gum and wearing polo shirts, but still admits that he can not stop because it has become an “unconscious habit.”

Although habits are very difficult to break, it is still possible. Individuals needs to constantly remind themselves to refrain from the urge. This way, they will become more aware of their subconscious habit and will be less likely to do it. According to an April 2009 article in the Los Angeles Times, a very effective way of breaking a bad habit is to get rid of any reward or pleasure the habit brings along. For instance, if an individual drinks three cans of soda everyday, they should refrain themselves from buying soda in the future so the temptation will slowly fade over time.

Bad habits do not have to be a life-long thing. With self-control and reminders, anyone can break their habits.

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Students’ stress leads to unpleasant bad habits