I’m Coming Out As A Chronic Lip Biter

I admit that I do it, and I admit it’s a problem. I’m a cheek chewer, lip biter, mouth muncher, whatever you’d like to call me. And not in the supposedly sexy way that Ana Steele does it, either.

Sometimes I chew the inside of my mouth raw, so badly that it hurts for days. Other times I can go for weeks or months without hurting my mouth… till that one bite, which is usually followed by another and another.

Although most people have bitten their lips, either intentionally or accidentally at some point in their lives, they don’t usually do it to an obsessive degree.

Unless, that is, they are one of the many people who do.

The problem is that most people who do it obsessively don’t think of it as a serious issue, and those that do, are too embarrassed to talk about it.

If we’re talking medical terms, it’s known as chronic cheek bite keratosis which is a facet of body-focused repetitive behavior. It’s often seen along with issues such as trichotillomania (hair pulling). Me? Well I think chronic lip biting covers it pretty well.

Some people bite their outer lip area while others bite the inside of their lips or cheeks. Other people even munch on their tongues. Whichever way you do it, it’s a problem – not least because it can cause mouth infections and even cancer (according to some experts).

Although it’s often linked to anxiety, after a few years it can turn into a habit, whether a person is anxious or not. It’s not as easy as just stopping, either, just like going cold turkey on cigarettes doesn’t work for everyone.

The first bite is what starts it all… once the skin is raw and ragged in just one spot, us biters just find it irresistible and want to keep chewing, usually to try and neaten out the skin. Which of course just makes it worse.

Sure, there are ways to treat it. But like anything it takes time. So for now, I’m off to duct tape my teeth together.

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Susannah Birch

Susannah is an Internet Safety and Mental Health Activist as well as a Digital Marketer and Journalist. She is the survivor of a childhood attack which left her with a tracheostomy for eleven years. As a teenager, she was groomed by a catfish, a relationship which continued for twelve years. Susannah has completed studies in Journalism, a Birth Doula certification and most recently, a Master of Marketing.

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