Nail biting, also known as onychophagia, may have a genetic component, meaning that if your mother was prone to biting her nails, you might inherit the tendency. This habit is often associated with stress, anxiety, or even boredom, and while environmental factors play a role, genetics may influence your predisposition to develop the habit. Many people who bite their nails find it difficult to stop, suggesting that a combination of inherited tendencies and learned behavior, often from childhood, contributes to this behavior. If your mother bit her nails, you might find it harder to kick the habit yourself.
If your mother suffers from allergies, whether they are seasonal (like hay fever), food-related, or even asthma, there’s a good chance you could inherit a predisposition to these allergic reactions. Allergies are often influenced by genetics, and if your mother is allergic to certain triggers, you may be at a higher risk of developing similar sensitivities. Your immune system’s tendency to overreact to certain allergens, such as pollen, dust, or particular foods, can be passed down through maternal genes. Though environmental factors also play a role, family history is one of the strongest predictors of allergic tendencies.
