If you do this, there's a good chance you're a perfectionist.

If you’re a picker, a tearer, a biter or a twister, listen up.

There is a reason you should stop biting your nails, and it’s got nothing to do with that thing your Nana told you about a public toilet seat.

A new study conducted by the University of Montreal has revealed that chewing on those digits of yours, and other such compulsive behaviours, may provide an indication of some interesting personality traits.

READ MORE: The 7 habits of chronically unhappy people.

The study centres on “body-focused repetitive behaviors,” or BFRBs. They are defined as “repetitive, injurious, and non-functional habits that cause significant distress or impairment, including hair-pulling, skin-picking, and nail-biting.”

Perfectionism, anxiety, boredom and dissatisfaction when failing to reach goals are just some of the traits that BFRB participators are more likely to suffer.

First author of the study Sarah Roberts stated, “participants were more likely to engage in body-focussed repetitive behaviours when they felt bored, frustrated, and dissatisfied than when they felt relaxed. Moreover, they do engage in these behaviours when they are under stress.”

“The findings suggest that individuals suffering from body-focussed repetitive behaviours could benefit from treatments designed to reduce frustration and boredom and to modify perfectionist beliefs.”

So next time your work mate tears off a bit of their thumb nails and calls it a ‘nervous habit,’ you may want to check how they’re going. According to UM, they may be in need of more than some Stop and Grow.

Do you have any habits that could be identified as BFRBs?