Proof nail biting is a nasty habit

THERE was an interesting — and tragic — case in the news this week. An otherwise fit and healthy 48-year-old man, Steven Macdonald from Coatbridge near glasgow, was left fighting for his life after he developed blood poisoning — from biting his nails.

it’s rare for this to happen, but i’ve had personal experience of a patient who ended up in intensive care because of this habit.

nail biting is one of a set of conditions known as body-focused repetitive behaviours, which include hair pulling (trichotillomania) and skin picking (dermatillomania). But people are rarely offered treatment until these behaviours become so serious they lead to infections.

Yet even when mild, such behaviours can be masking an underlying anxiety disorder or emotional problems which need to be addressed via talking treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

LONELINESS and social isolation rob people of their memory and may be linked to dementia, according to new research by the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The study, involving 11,000 people over 50, found older people who were lonely lost up to a fifth of their brain power every two years.

I often see this in my clinics. Those who are isolated fare far worse as they age compared to those who are more socially engaged.

We should be mindful of this when contemplating retirement. Too many people are reliant on their jobs for their social lives. When they stop working, their social circle shrinks.

It takes a real effort to maintain friendships when you don’t have a common bond, such as work, and a structure that ensures you interact with people every day.

We take care to make financial provision for our retirement, but we would be wise to make plans for our social life, too.