Rather than letting him bite his nails, I suggested he just chew some gum instead. That was actually how I helped my son break the habit. I realized pretty quickly that it was nothing more than pure emotional tension, and no amount of lecturing or scolding was going to help him stop—in fact, it usually did the exact opposite.
But then it hit me—if I caught him biting his nails, I would simply tell him that if he really needed something to chew on, he should go grab a piece of gum. And now, here I am, having to trim his nails all over again... 🙄 🤣 🤣 and for nearly a year and a half, he’s been "trimming" them all by himself... 😬
I go through the whole cycle, don't I? There's the grieving, the tears, and then that inevitable surge of anger and protest... but eventually, you endure, and the storm passes. And honestly, things tend to move along much faster when you have dear friends by your side to talk things through with.
On the other hand, there are those people who thrive on stinging others, spreading the poison of their own pain—it's just something I can't stomach. I make it a point to distance myself from them, trying my best not to get caught in their orbit... 🙂 Because if they insist on making life miserable for themselves, they seem to think everyone else should suffer right along with them... 👎
In all those various options you just listed, you didn't actually include "just go for it and don't look back," which means you already know exactly what the answer is.
Since you seem so intent on complaining about everything... why not just pick an option, commit to it wholeheartedly, and let the rest of it go?
Why not give the Mayo Clinic a call? They really do have some of the finest specialists out there. Plus, their scheduling for therapy sessions is actually quite reasonable. Once you finally settle in with your own therapist, they’ll have a dedicated slot held just for you, and you can spend as much time as necessary—at least, that’s my understanding of how it works, but you should certainly check for yourself. Just give them a ring and ask; I'm certain you'll find their number right in any standard directory.