Nervous eating/chewing habit! How can i stop this?

Question

i have a lot of nervous tension in my body that is hard to fully explain, but basically i always have to be doing something or chewing on something. I usually try to get rid of some of this energy by running, but throughout the day i eat food (when i am not hungry) or chew on my nails, pencils, chewing tobacco, gum, sunflower seeds, and chewy candy. constantly! Why does my body have so much tension/energy that i have to release everyday?? i'm starting to gain a little bit of weight from all the food i snack on.

Answer 1

The fact that you are constantly chewing on something can- from a Freudian perspective, be a sign of an oral fixation.  According to Freudian theory, this means that you got "stuck" in the oral phase of psychosocial development, and you thus must always be occupying your mouth through some means.  This is just one theory's perspective.  Perhaps doing some research on Sigmund Freud, as well as some self help books or consultation with a therapist can help you move forward.  Before you do all that, simply try to make a conscious effort to break that habit.  If that doesn't work, try what I said.

Answer 2

I have the same issue and to keep from eating my nails down to bleeding or eating myself fat, I keep gum on me all the time. Chewing gum constantly doesn't make me gain weight and it gets rid of the urge to chew on other things. If it's too hard to control go talk to a doctor, they may have ideas or anti-anxiety medication they can put you on.