Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 5: Break the habit
• Method 2 of 5: Address the cause
• Method 3 of 5: Stop accidentally biting
• Method 4 of 5: Do mindfulness and relaxation exercises
• Method 5 of 5: Less anxiety through a healthy life

You can bite your lips casually when you're nervous, or you can chew them compulsively. Just like blinking your eyes too often or biting your nails, it's probably something you do unconsciously when stress starts to build up and you need an outlet. However, if you have made it a habit, you can bite so much that you will start to experience chapped lips, bleeding or scarring, and it will seem like you cannot stop on your own. For mild cases, use a combination of simple habit breaking techniques. For compulsive biting or chewing, it is best to visit your doctor and a therapist as soon as possible.

To step

Method 1 of 5: Break the habit

1. Anticipate the biting. Notice when you bite and think about how you feel. You may have a habit of biting your lips when you feel anxious or bored. Be aware if you are about to get into a situation where you could start biting so that you can take it into account.
   • In many cases, biting is just one of the many physical signs that you are feeling anxious. Other signs include shallow breathing, a faster heart rate, flushing and sweating. Whenever you feel any of these other symptoms, be ready to stop yourself from biting.
2. Use the competitive reaction technique. If you feel the urge to bite, do something else that makes it impossible. Lick your lips or rub your fingers over your mouth. Lightly bite a pencil or small pillow, or do something that makes it impossible to bite, such as breathing with open mouth, speaking, or singing. This technique is used to treat deep-seated compulsions, along with relaxation techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy.
   • Try this routine: If you want to bite, take a deep breath from your diaphragm for 60 seconds, relax your muscles one at a time, then use your competitive response for 60 seconds.
   • Replace biting with other movements, such as pinching the lips, chewing gum, whistling, or yawning. Be careful not to touch your lips or face with dirty hands as this can be unsanitary and cause problems later on, such as nasty acne!
   • Ask your doctor or therapist for advice on developing your competitive reaction technique. The same distractions don't work for everyone.
3. Make biting impossible. Wearing an unpleasant tasting lip balm can help remind you not to chew your lips. Try a medicated balm designed to heal chapped lips or block the sun. If you're training yourself to lick instead of bite, put on a sweet tasting lip balm. The taste and smell of the balm will help you think about licking your lips instead of biting. You can also apply the lip balm or lipstick when you have the urge to bite.
   • Rub a little menthol lip conditioner directly under your nose as a reminder.
   • If you're in a lip biting situation, try sucking hard candy, chewing gum, or wearing a mouthguard.

Method 2 of 5: Address the cause

1. Go to the doctor. The doctor can help you determine the cause of your biting and refer you to a specialist if necessary. Severe chewing and biting that causes bleeding, scarring, or other damage to your lip or mouth requires medical attention. Lip biting is often a symptom of anxiety, but it can also be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB).
   • Lip biting can be a tic. These are most common in young men and often disappear after a few months without treatment. A doctor can help you rule out other possible causes.
   • See your dentist about getting a mouthguard for help with biting, chewing, and compressing the lips. If you tend to bite at night or during quiet activities such as reading, watching television, or studying, these aids can be very helpful.
2. Get the help of a therapist. Whether you bite your lips due to anxiety or severe OCD, therapy is more effective than medication. Your therapist will likely train you on how to turn your habit. Mindfulness techniques, relaxation techniques and competitive reaction techniques can be used for this. Ask for a referral to a therapist experienced in managing compulsions and anxiety.
   • Ask your therapist about cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on the relationships between thoughts and behavior.
   • Support groups can also be helpful, especially if you don't know other people who understand what you're going through.
3. Talk to a psychiatrist about anti-anxiety medications. If nothing seems to help, you may have an anxiety disorder that can be alleviated with medication. General anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and other anxiety disorders do not always respond to talk therapy. Depending on your diagnosis and health profile, a psychiatrist may prescribe a medication to treat your anxiety.
   • This may be an antidepressant, such as drugs of the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI).
   • You may be prescribed buspirone (a drug specially formulated to treat anxiety) or benzodiazepines (sedatives prescribed to treat severe cases).
   • Not all causes of lip biting respond to medication. For example, BFRB responds best to habit reversal with medications that are only prescribed for co-morbid conditions.

Method 3 of 5: Stop accidentally biting

1. See a dentist to have your teeth checked. In some cases, the biting is caused by the shape of your mouth. If your teeth are wrong, your body may unconsciously try to realign them by placing your lips between them. If you have an overbite or any other type of misalignment that you think may be causing the biting, see a dentist so you can discuss how to fix it.
   • A dentist can let you know if misalignment is a factor in lip biting. Treatments can include braces or a retainer to fix the problem. Once your teeth are aligned, the lip biting should stop.
2. Apply ice to your wounds. If you accidentally bite your lip or cheek, a scab can form. It can be difficult to avoid biting on this protrusion while it heals. To help avoid accidentally biting yourself repeatedly, apply ice to the butt until the swelling subsides. Put a cloth in your mouth during quiet activities to avoid mindless biting.
3. Chew wisely. You can accidentally bite if you eat quickly or have a misaligned jaw. As with any other accidental biting bite, one bite can present the danger of repeated and increasingly painful bites. If you bite your lip or cheek while chewing, give your mouth time to heal. Eat soft foods, such as yogurt, applesauce, and soup, for a few days until the swelling subsides.

Method 4 of 5: Do mindfulness and relaxation exercises

1. Practice deep breathing. Deep breathing, also called belly breathing, helps you relax both physically and mentally.Research has shown that using this technique in stress relief helps relieve symptoms of stress, such as lip biting and other bad habits. Whenever you feel the urge to bite your lips, try the following:
   • Sit upright so that your upper body is horizontal.
   • Take slow, controlled breaths from your stomach. You should feel your stomach moving in and out. If your chest is moving up and down, your breathing is too shallow. Focus on deeper breathing.
   • Continue to take a deep breath until you feel relaxed and stop biting your lips.
   • Deep breathing is often included as one of the steps of habit reversal techniques.
2. Practice progressive muscle relaxation. This is another physical technique with profound mental effects. It will take a few minutes to complete. Do this technique during times of great stress to center yourself and stop the urge to bite your lips. Like deep breathing, this is also a common step of habit reversal techniques.
   • Tighten the muscles in your arms as hard as you can. Take a deep breath and hold your muscles tight for five seconds.
   • Exhale and release the tension at the same time. Stay completely relaxed for 15 seconds.
   • Choose a different muscle group to contract for five seconds. Go along your legs, upper body, buttocks and jaw. Continue to alternate between contracting and relaxing until you have had all major muscle groups.
   • Keep doing this until the urge to bite your lips has passed. You may need to alternate muscle groups for up to 15 minutes.
3. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is being completely in the present. When you pay more attention to your body and how it feels, you are less likely to bite your lips absent-mindedly. Mindfulness takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, you can use this technique anytime, anywhere, and very effectively.
   • Whenever you feel anxious, immediately focus on your five senses. What do you envision? What do you taste in your mouth? What do you hear around you? What do you feel with your hands? What do you smell in the air?
   • Focus on your physical state until the worried thoughts fade into the background.
   • If you have trouble concentrating, try this quick trick where you look at your hands as you clasp them together. This will help ground you immediately.

Method 5 of 5: Less anxiety through a healthy life

1. Eat healthy. Eating nutritious meals at regular intervals can help you stay calm and feel safe. Eat a wide variety of foods to get the nutrients your body needs. Eat fruits and vegetables every day, and make sure you don't skip the carbohydrates and proteins.
   • Replace alcohol and caffeine with water. Alcohol and caffeine both have properties that can increase anxiety.
2. Exercise. Regular exercise releases endorphins that increase your sense of well-being and reduce stress. Exercise will improve your mood and help you sleep. If you don't have a regular exercise routine, try to go for a brisk walk for half an hour every day.
3. Get a good night's sleep every night. Anxiety interferes with sleep, and lack of sleep makes anxiety worse. Try to stop this unhealthy cycle by sleeping on a regular schedule, keeping your bedroom quiet and electronics-free, and not eating anything from a few hours before bed. Adults need 7-8 hours of sleep per night with as few interruptions as possible. Children and teens need 9-11 hours of sleep.
4. Think about alternative medicine. Some people have good results with alternative medicine. If you're interested in trying any of these treatments, talk to your doctor before replacing or changing any of his or her recommendations. They may be able to help you find alternative treatments, such as meditation and yoga, that can supplement and extend prescribed relaxation techniques.
   • Acupuncture is the ancient Chinese practice of inserting needles into specific points on the body. There is growing evidence that acupuncture can be a useful treatment for anxiety.
   • Research has shown that yoga and meditation can both be helpful in the treatment of both physical and mental complaints caused by anxiety.