Psychological Causes of Ingrown Toenails

It’s scientifically proven that 85% of diseases and physical health problems are caused by psychological issues. Suppressed emotions, unrealized potential, conflicts, and more become the reasons for infections, inflammations, and injuries.

Psychosomatic Causes of Nail Problems

Each body part has its metaphysical meaning, and every disease or problem has its psychosomatic cause. When patients complain about nail problems, they often say things like, “this prevents me from moving” or “this stops me from doing what I need to do.” Reflecting on these words and remembering that disease is given to us for a reason, it becomes clear that problems with nails on the hands or feet reflect a protest (fungus on the hands) and fear of the future (toenail fungus). Let’s look in more detail at common problems and their causes.

Ingrown Toenail

Legs symbolize moving forward. An ingrown toenail most often occurs on the big toe. Because of this, a person cannot walk comfortably and lead an active lifestyle. On a mental level, this indicates an inability to let go of the past, to part with old ideas or outdated beliefs.

Inflammation, pus, pain, itching, swelling, and redness indicate that internal negativity is seeking a way out. It also corresponds to feelings such as fear, disgust, powerlessness, longing, sadness, shame. Patients experience all this even without the disease, but the disease provides a legitimate opportunity to feel sad, angry, etc. People associate feelings with the onset of the ailment, but the real reason is different.

An ingrown toenail (psychosomatically) speaks of a sense of danger, anxiety, guilt for wanting to move forward. Affirmation for healing: “Choosing the direction of my movement through life is my sacred right. I am safe, I am free.”

Nail Fungus and Stress

Psychosomatics links nail fungus with a person’s inability to let go of the past. This fixation hinders the present and future. However, against this backdrop, the disease can have a chronic nature, with exacerbations occurring against a background of stress: strong emotional shock, intellectual or psychophysiological overstrain, fear, mental pain.

Nail-Biting Habit

What lies behind the habit of nail-biting:

• Feeling of hopelessness;
• Self-torment;
• Hatred towards one of the parents.

Affirmation for healing: “Growing up is safe. Now I easily and joyfully manage my life.”

Opinions of Psychosomatic Experts

Patients are treated with creams, ointments, compresses, folk remedies, and even resort to surgery. But all this will be a waste of time, effort, and resources until the psychological cause is found.

Nails Psychosomatics by Louise Hay

According to psychosomatics, nails symbolize protection. Problems indicate that a person doesn’t feel safe. Affirmation for healing: “My communication is easy and free.” Problems with toe fingers indicate fixation on the past and on minor things. Affirmation for healing: “Everything will resolve itself.” An ingrown toenail on the foot indicates a fear of moving forward. Affirmation for healing: “The Lord gave me the right to choose my path in life. I am safe. I am free (male or female).”

Zhikarentsev on Nail Problems

V. Zhikarentsev identifies nails with safety. Affirmation for healing: “I feel safe taking something in my hands.” Ingrowth indicates fear and guilt associated with moving forward. Affirmation for healing: “It is my God-given right to follow my own direction in life. I am safe. I am free (male or female).”

Psychological Causes of Nail Diseases by Liz Burbo

Physically, nails embody protection and are also needed for gripping small objects and scratching. They have roughly the same meaning on the mental level. The psychologist explains the causes of the most common problems:

• Biting the nail plate indicates that a person is “gnawing” at themselves from the inside, feeling unpleasant and fearful. It may also involve resentment towards others, father, or mother for not being able to provide safety.
• Why people bite their nails: tension, fear, sense of danger. Surprisingly, this habit calms them, giving a sense of protection, reducing anxiety.
• Brittleness indicates a tendency to self-blame for not being precise or perfect enough. This affects perfectionists and pedants.
• An ingrown nail results from feelings like fear and anxiety. These feelings prevent a person from moving forward joyfully. They are frightened by the unknown and the future, lack self-confidence, fear stepping out of their comfort zone and parting with the past. They focus on trivialities and miss the essence, not understanding their desires. If the big toe’s nail is ingrown, it indicates guilt and regret about the path the person is taking or planning to take.

Learn to accept help and support from others. Stop thinking that you must cope alone. But at the same time, don’t expect protection and don’t demand care, especially for troubles you created yourself. Stop focusing on minor things and get rid of perfectionism. Learn to articulate your desires and trust people, forgive your mistakes. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Only those who do nothing make no mistakes. Failures are lessons and experience. Learn to benefit from them, grow and move forward.

Theory of Luule Viilma

According to Luule Viilma’s theory, ingrown nails and fungus occur for the following reasons:

• Tendency to self-destruction;
• Sense of shame;
• Internal experiences;
• Negative thinking and pessimistic view of the world. The stronger a person’s experiences and the more negative their thoughts, the more actively the disease spreads. Interesting! Fungal nail infections are more common in developed cities and countries. This is related to the mentality. People from underdeveloped parts of the world are not ashamed of their poverty and do not fear the future; they are less dependent on social statuses and consumption. Hence, they worry less.

Torsunov on Nails

O. Torsunov explains the development of diseases through the characteristics of people. Problems with nails correspond to such qualities as:

• Sloppiness;
• Ignorance;
• Laziness;
• Chronic fatigue;
• Low work capacity;
• Greed;
• Indiscriminateness;
• Indifference to oneself, other people, the whole world;
• Pessimism;
• Depression;
• Cruelty;
• Dishonesty.

Complete healing from fungus and ingrown nails is only possible if the person changes their character.

Nail Healing with Psychosomatics

Until the psychological cause is eliminated, the problem will recur again and again. However, this doesn’t mean that an ingrown nail or fungus doesn’t require medical intervention – treatment should be comprehensive.

From a psychosomatic point of view, it’s necessary to understand what exactly is pressing on the person and what the roots of the problem are. The main issue must be identified and resolved. What else needs to be done for healing:

• Learn to release anger and frustration;
• Adjust your expectations regarding yourself, other people, and events (incorrect expectations and demands become causes of offense and disappointment);
• Get rid of phobias, fears, and anxieties (usually, they are irrational, it’s necessary to find this irrationality and recognize it);
• Work on your character (learn to use both strengths and weaknesses);
• Take responsibility for your life.

Changing lifestyle and thinking is not easy, it will take months. It’s even harder to develop a work plan and follow it on your own, so visiting a psychologist or coach is recommended. Pay attention to such psychotherapy methods as cognitive-behavioral therapy, art therapy, and body-oriented psychotherapy. Both individual and group therapy sessions are suitable.

Important! Think about what you have been able to do or have learned to do under the pretext of illness. These are your suppressed desires. And what have you stopped doing? This is what irritates you in everyday life. Treatment should start with making these lists. Then, what irritates you should be crossed out and replaced with what matches your nature.