What Does Psychology Say About Biting Your Lips

Not every act of ours is reinforced by some sort of pressure or anxiety. Biting lips, however, reveal a lot about what’s going on inside your brain. It’s a very common practice that we all do not only in anxiety but even when we are nervous. Some of us are so addictive of biting their lips that we don’t even realize while doing it. It's simply become so uncountable.

source

Whereas there could be a lot of reasons why one is biting one’s lips, there are various methods to relax, instead of biting lips, in time of crisis as well.
1- Are You Anxious?

source

The most common reason why we tend to bite our lips is anxiety. Whether you feel anxiety while socializing, settling in to a new place or meeting the not so favorite people, your first response will be biting your lips. One of the very basic things we all need to reckon is that, lip biting is not a significantly huge psychological problem. It’s just a natural response your body rushes to when it does not feel comfortable in something known as body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB).

BFRBs don’t just occasionally show a certain behavior like lip biting. Rather, the behavior makes the person confused and interferes with the ability to function normally.
It’s not a form of self-harm, like cutting. Despite the fact BFRBs result in bodily harm, such people aren’t intentionally harming them.

2- If You Are Doing This You Are Shy Being Attracted

source

This may sound a little cliché to some of you but once you start observing you will know the fact of the matter. If you are a shy person but attracted to someone, your will start biting your lips. Now obviously, the doer wants to release the tension by stimulating the lips. It’s a clear signal that you want to comfort yourself in the moment of crisis.

3- Lying, maybe?

source

One of the common assumptions about lip biting is, it happens when you are not being true enough. This does not always prove right but it could be a convincing symptom of lying. Your brain would urge you to bite your lips if you are lying about something.
Having studied the common factors, the question arises, how to stop this habit? There are several practices psychologists recommend acupuncture, counselling, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Let’s figure the most popular, relaxation techniques in below:
a. Deep Breathing
b. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
c. Chew Something
d. Knowing Triggers
e. Motorizing the Lips

1- Deep Breathing

source

2- Deep Progressive Muscle Relaxation

source

Deep breathing is also known as ‘diaphragmatic breathing’. It’s the best strategy yet to relax your tensed mind. Majority of people consider deep breathing as ‘closing your eyes and start breathing in and out through your chest’ but it’s not that simple. Diaphragmatic breathing involves a straight back and forth through your stomach with the eyes open.

This strategy involves physical exercise thus, is the best technique for impulsive disorders. Most researchers recommend combining deep breathing with progressive muscle relaxation. This technique involves tensing each muscle one at a time. This would drain the energy and tire the muscles so that they don't have the strength to provide anxiety symptoms. All you have to do is to spare 5 to 10 minutes to find yourself comfortable.
Make sure you don’t exercise too hard. You only need to tighten the muscles, but induce pain.

3- Start Chew Something

source

Diversion is the best solution in a lot of stress related problems. Chewing something will divert your mind’s attention and focus more on dental, mouth muscle exercise. Another amazing and productive result of chewing something, a gum precisely, is that it will boost your confidence. You will not have to look confused or shy anymore.

4- Know Your Triggers, Be Mindful

source

Each time, a different trigger would reinforce you to bite your lips. The habit does not go away easily. You have to get to know the reasons that trigger you to bite the lips. Get to know your emotions and sort your mind out. Once you get to know the triggers, you will definitely be able to wipe them all. Because for eradicating a problem you have to get to the root of it.
5- Keep Moisturizing Your Lips Regularly

source

Apart from the psychological triggers, dead skin can also trigger you to bite your lips. Keep a lip balm with you more often and apply it whenever you're feeling the need to bite. You will not feel the urge to bite them anymore.

Apart from these strategies and reasons, there could be a lot more serious issues like chronic biting. In case you observe yourself including in this habit too seriously, you might need a professional health care. Utilize the exercises mentioned above and live like a confident, healthy person like everyone else.