The underlying causes of the majority physical habits may be quite varied, and rooted at different psychological levels. Although hypnotherapy has a wide range of applications, the behaviors that are most directly related to physical habits are usually the ones that can be treated with hypnotherapy most directly and immediately. Hypnosis for smoking cessation is the most commonly recognized of these, and is among the more effective and least invasive techniques for reaching its goal. Another common area for hypnotherapy treatment is for weight control. Similarly, hypnotherapy is also the best technique for ending a nail biting habit.  

 Nail biting shares many similarities to smoking. It is a ritualistic, physical habit. Either can be caused by the mechanics of a physical routine, or can be indicative of deeper psychological root causes. In either case the habit itself can be quite effectively halted with hypnosis. 

 Discovering and treating underlying psychological issues, which are exhibited in nail biting and smoking can be a process that 1 or 2 sessions with a knowledgeable hypnotist. Not all hypnotists are capable of performing at the deep psychological level. Thankfully, for the purposes of eliminating a nail biting or a smoking habit, they do not need to work below the most direct physical level.  

 The immediate goal of curing the nail biting habit is far more straightforward. Many of our deeper emotional and psychological states are influenced by our physical state, so in treating the physical symptoms directly, we can also have an indirect impact on deeper issues. Also, not all negative physical behaviors have an underlying cause; sometimes it is truly just a physical habit; it “feels” good for the individual to take part in them.  

 I have seen that the relaxed and focused state of hypnosis can have extraordinary results when it comes to achieving simple physical state changes. Whenever I relieve severe burn pain, alleviate nausea, and relieve other physical problems for a client, it still amazes me, even though I’m supposedly the one with the “power” (as we know, the true power lies in the client’s unconscious mind). Our minds have the capacity to block out severe nausea and pain; so the ability to prevent one from nail biting is a simple goal in comparison.  

 I’ve found three of the most powerful hypnosis techniques to be anchoring, substitution and association. With association, one can link a negative behavior to something unpleasant; with substitution, one can replace the bad habit with an innocuous one; with anchoring, one can link physical movement triggers with alternative feelings and behaviors.  

 Hypnotherapy has been proven as one of the more effective methods for negative habit modification. Just as with smoking cessation, the techniques and concepts described here prove to be extremely effective as a long-term nail-biting cure.