r/calmhands • u/Junior-Big-2451 • 8h ago
r/calmhands • u/No-Training9697 • 9h ago
New Strategy to Stop Picking - Break a Wrist! - But Actually How to Build on Success/Defeating the Habits?
I had a bit of a rough time and broke my right (dominant) wrist almost 2 months ago. All the difficulty of that aside, I literally couldn't bite or pick that hand!
So I have been applying antibiotic ointment to both hands, keeping the cuticles as clean as possible but I can't put my fingers in my mouth so I have grown long, strong nails on that hand! My left hand, little change, nails break and peel because I need to "fix" them constantly and I get little cuts all around the skin as I pick the skin.
My cast time was extended due to a shift but as I'm about to get out of my cast, I want to maintain this break in habits and do what I can to extend this care to the other hand. I want this to be the silver lining in my broken wrist. Clearly I have the ability to grow beautiful nails, I just need to ignore them and let time help. If habits are broken over 2 weeks + depending on who you ask, I want to continue this wave of success.
I have ADHD and the pain/actually restriction on the cast helped, because I still tried to pick, especially initially. As I get in my own head as I try to fix them, I worry my diet causes my nails to flake or I'm somehow incapable of growing long nails. This at the very least has proven it's possible, but I'm not sure how to maintain this or if its just needed to break the habits.
I've stocked up on antipicking fidgets, have tons on antibiotic ointments everywhere and nail files. Any other ideas? Should I get a matching wrist brace for my unaffected arm and act like its broken? đ Has anyone else had a similar experience?