Nail Biting Treatment - Essay Example

Nail Biting TreatmentA) Program strategies: To resolve my issues in nail biting, the form of aversion therapy will be employed. I will coat my nails with bad-tasting substance like a nail polish or a gel deodorant. As observed, the cause for the individual’s reaction resulted from anxiety or nervousness during presentations or challenging situations, thus a psychological approach of averting the attention to a less favorable taste of the nail polish or gel deodorant would probably help eliminate such habits.

This is some sort of conditioning myself to associate the nails with unpleasant sensations in order to stop my nail biting behavior. Another approach I intend to use is by exercising some relaxation techniques before facing the challenging tasks like presentations. The breathing exercise may help to eliminate my nervousness or anxiety. For example, before the presentation, I will take five (5) to ten (10) deep breaths before presenting or facing the crowd. Using chewing gums may also help me remove my habit of nail biting.

Similar to some players of baseball, they use gums to release tensions. But of course, this will not be effective during presentations since it is unsightly to see a presenter chewing gums while speaking. I intend to use gums when it will involve activities that would not require me to speak. B. DATA COLLECTION AND INTERPRETATION: To help me ensure that the techniques I used were effective, I will employ the help of my classmate to record the number of times that I put my nails on my mouth.

She will tally it on a graph during my presentations, also indicating the time the behavior occurred. This observation will be done within a week period. Also, I will keep a track of my behavior during presentations.C. Generalization Plan To ensure that the plan would work with other people, the following action plans may be done:1. Identify a learning center for children to find subjects that exhibits the same emotional imbalance by identifying children who are nail bitters as well.2. Employ the assistance of the teacher to advise children to polish their nails with substances that are foul tasting.

Before implementing the program, we would be securing the cooperation of the parents by explaining to them the disadvantages if nail biting will become a habit or fixation of their children.3. If nail polish or gel deodorant will not be effective, a chewing gum will be provided to children whenever the behavior occurs.4. The children will be observed for a month.5. Parents and teachers will be interviewed to validate if the program was effective, over a month schedule.D. Alternative Program Strategies If the aversion therapy will not be effective, the Habit Reversal Training will be employed.

Habit Reversal Training is done by replacing nail biting with a more constructive habit. I will try to purchase a stress ball, which I can squeeze every time I feel nervous. This way, I will be able to stimulate some nerves in my palms that would release my tension. The other benefit I will gain from it is that some nerves that affects my body would also be stimulated by squeezing the ball. It will stimulate blood going to my brain, heart, lungs and even stomach. This is according to some physical therapist who employs massaging the palms to eliminate toxins and to stimulate nerve endings found on palms.

Another program that may be employed is the use of medication like the anti-depressant. But I hope I will not recourse myself to this treatment and learn to remove my anxiety through practice. This is just a last recourse.E. MONITORING AND FOLLOW UP To monitor my behavior, I will employ the help of my friends, family members and my teacher. I will inform them of my program that I intend to eliminate my habit of nail biting. If they notice me exhibiting the said behavior, they are free to reprimand me and I will not be offended.

First and foremost, I will set a schedule on how often I will manicure or cut my nails and put a nail polish and record it on my calendar.REFERENCESMutz, Brigitte, Sturmer, Diana. “Streass and Nail Biting”. Social Work Research, April 25, 2005, Ruth Osuch Ph. D., LCSW. Retrieved from http://www.stfrancis.edu/srsymposium/projects/swrk/bmutz_etal_swrk.pdf on 2007 November 17.Sutherland, G. (2004). Smoking can help to overcome difficult situations. Retrieved from http://community.netdoktor.

com/ccs/uk/smoking/coping/decision/goodbye/article.jsp on 2007 November 18.