Many of us who suffer from mental health, anxiety disorders, mental illness, severe anxiety, phobia, and other mental health difficulties face more significant challenges than many others. A tattoo can serve as a constant reminder of your struggles and bravery.
Getting a tattoo can be fun and terrifying, whether it’s your first or hundredth. There are numerous factors to consider, the most essential of which is the design. Tattoo designs abound on the internet, but You shouldn’t rush into choosing one that will mean to you for the rest of your life.
This post is a beautiful place to begin if you search for mental health tattoos. We’ll give you some suggestions on how to pick the ideal tattoo, as well as a list of mental health symbols and what they mean.
Why do depressed people get tattoos?
When you face a challenge head-on and achieve a great result, you frequently feel a tremendous sense of success. It’s normal to desire a tattoo to remember the occasion. Getting a depression-related tattoo might act as a public announcement or personal remembrance of what you’ve overcome.
You might have chosen a depression tattoo to express your love for those who suffer from the illness. (It’s a continuation, not a conclusion, to your sentence or story.) the semicolon tattoo, for example, is thought to represent unity among people who are dealing with mental health issues.
Choosing a depression tattoo that represents your experience is a complex undertaking. What you’ve accomplished and your art and symbolic tastes are all unique to you.
You may be an animal lover who wants to have a tattoo that reflects this. Perhaps you’re a mythology buff who likes your story told as an epic fight between the Roman gods. Certain common concepts could help you develop a depression tattoo that best suits you.
7 Suggestions on Selecting the Right Tattoo
You might be wondering how you’ll know if a mental health tattoo is suited for you while you peruse your favorite designs. To assist you, we’ve put together some pointers to keep in mind as you search!
1. WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO GET A TATTOO?
Are you getting a tattoo to express your dissatisfaction with your parents or relationship, defy peer pressure, or represent something meaningful to you? Remember that tattoos are eternal, so whether you’re doing it to prove a point or merely to fulfill a promise to someone, make sure you think it over well before proceeding.
2. DECIDE WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR TATTOO TO BE PLACED
I strongly advise buying a temporary tattoo from Inkbox (you can upload and purchase bespoke designs on their website) to get a sense of how apparent your tattoo will be and whether you will be able to hide it if you want to.
While you may wish for the entire world to see your tattoo in the weeks and months following its placement, consider how you will feel in 5, 10, or 15 years. If you’re unsure, put it on the part of your body that you can readily hide if necessary.
3. SELECT YOUR DESIGN
While selecting a mental health tattoo, make sure it means something to you and that you think about how others could perceive it. It would be best if you also evaluated whether the tattoo will make you regret it in the future. Popular tattoos, symbol tattoos, and tattoos that make strong statements may seem like the correct decision right now, but you may change your mind later.
4. MAKE YOUR OWN CREATIVE Design
If you are interested in art, you might like to pursue getting a tattoo yourself or letting someone else do it for you. Even though you can find Custom tattoo designs on Etsy, designers can collaborate with you to make your vision a reality.
5. SEARCH FOR AN ARTIST
Once you’ve decided to get a tattoo, make sure you do some research on designers in your area. Get suggestions from others, read reviews, and explore artist portfolios. Remember, those tattoo artists tend to specialize in certain styles of tattoos, so if you have a specific idea in mind, pick someone who can help you achieve it.
6. FIRST, MEET WITH YOUR TATTOO ARTIST
Many tattoo parlors will insist on it, but if they don’t, make sure you meet with your tattoo artist before your tattoo session. It will let you talk about the details of your tattoo and see if any adjustments to the design or placing are required. Your tattoo artist can also tell you if your tattoo may hold up over time and may even encourage you to try something new.
7. DON’T DO IT IN HURRY
When I say to slow down, I speak from experience. It’s exciting to go to the nearest tattoo parlor and get the first design that strikes your attention when you decide to get a tattoo.
Consider what you want your tattoo to represent, what design you want, and where you want it to go on your body, then select an artist who can create something you’ll be delighted with forever.
Mental Health Tattoo Symbols & Meanings
There are many different mental health symbols to pick from, and I’ve listed some of the most popular ones below.
● SEROTONIN
Serotonin (often known as the “happy chemical”) is a naturally occurring molecule that regulates mood, metabolism, sleep, and other functions. Low serotonin levels can lead to mood swings, sadness, and stress.
Many patients who experience one or more of these disorders choose to have serotonin tattoos to remember that their problems result from a chemical imbalance in their brain rather than their fault.
● SEMICOLON
Project Semicolon, a nonprofit organization devoted to suicide prevention, inspired the Semicolon tattoos. A semicolon is a punctuation mark used by authors to indicate that they don’t want to finish a sentence.
Moreover a semicolon tattoo is used to inform someone that their tale isn’t ended yet. Over time, the semicolon has represented awareness of mental health, including anxiety.
● FLOWER OF THE LOTUS
The lotus flower resembles peace and rebirth in Eastern religions. Lotus flowers grow in deep mud, which is why many people use them as tattoo designs to represent how they’ve conquered adversity and remind them that they can overcome anything.
● BUTTERFLY
Butterfly tattoos are frequently used to represent beauty and change. The journey from caterpillar to butterfly is horrible, much like the transformation that occurs when facing a difficult life situation.
The butterfly tattoo is often worn as a reminder that, while change can be unpleasant, it also makes us more challenging and attractive.
● RIBBON IN GREEN
The international symbol for mental health is the green ribbon.
● ANCHOR
When life becomes challenging, anchor tattoos serve as a reminder to stay strong and never sink.
The trend of mental health tattoos on its peak
Mental health recovery tattoos have grown increasingly popular as the stigma around mental illness has (slowly but steadily) faded. For example, wearing the words “remain” and “strong” on their wrists as a constant reminder. Popular motifs like molecules, pulse monitor imagery, and words to motivate people to “remain strong” and know they’re “never alone” may be seen behind the hashtag #mentalhealthtattoo on social media.
“It’s often a much longer process of contemplation for the person who chooses to have a tattoo,” says Shainna Ali, Ph.D., a mental health expert. “What is the objective of having a tattoo, what role will it serve, and what is the symbolism—a tattoo has a deeper meaning for the person who receives it.
A star, for example, could represent a star for one person while symbolizing something more profound for another, such as a life lost. A tattoo can be used to memorialize anything—a person, a choice, or a way of life.”
This form of ink has the potential to be a very effective recovery tool
Even though we talk a lot about mental health these days, not everyone feels comfortable talking about their problems. It’s very understandable. Anxiety has long been associated with “worrying excessively.” And depression is simply a case of “not being optimistic.”
However, mental health is a form of health; like physical health, it is sometimes beyond our control. Just because there is fresh air, you can’t even ask anyone with asthma to inhale harder. Understandably, persons with mental illnesses prefer to be alone rather than judged or misunderstood.
It’s for this reason that having mental health tattoos is risky. The tattoos help others feel less alone, whether the user is a depression survivor or merely an advocate.
Because each path is unique, a significant mental health tattoo may be incredibly personal. They do, however, have one common factor: they all want to raise awareness by expressing their personal stories. They offer the notion that struggling psychologically isn’t a flaw.
Some mental health professionals believe that getting a tattoo might aid in a person’s recovery by allowing them to see themselves or their mental health history from a new perspective. It is true, at least for me.
Painting my body with a symbol of what I’ve been through allows me to see the experience more positive and verifies that I am a survivor, even in my darkest moments. Jacobsen, too, is of the same mind. “My struggle will never be done,” she says, “but I needed a way to recall how much had improved in a year.”
Symbolic Meaning
For different people, tattoos and symbols have various concepts. Don’t let this dissuade you from getting your dream tattoo. There are no two ways to depict mental illness, and the ideal tattoo is the one that feels right to you. For example the bell serves as a reminder to raise awareness for the community while caring for our own mental health.
So, here’s a collection that is either inspirational or thought-provoking when it comes to mental health tattoos.
Self-Care Tattoo
We all have people who rely on us – our families, spouses, employees, and so on. However, we must look after ourselves in order to be at our most for them. That, in my opinion, is all about self-care.
Unalome Tattoo
“This is a Buddhist symbol for the Spiritual path, and it serves as a reminder that we frequently get lost on our path through life and eventually find our way back.” Every day, this is my own reminder to keep trying and exploring.”
Tattoo with a Semicolon
One of my favorite tattoos is the semicolon. It’s a fantastic approach to raising awareness about suicide. It occurs when someone wants to commit suicide but instead decides to live.
Arrow Tattoos
Arrow tattoos are symbolic of power, struggle, and triumph. These are gradually gaining traction in the mental health community. These tattoos reflect the perseverance required to live with a mental disorder. The difficult time that we go by.
Lime Green Ribbon Tattoo
These tattoos are supposed to signify mental health. The mental health ribbon color is lime green, which symbolizes depression, childhood anxiety, and mood disorders. This ribbon can be purchased alone or combined with other letters or tattoos to create a unique design.
Unique Mental Health Tattoos
We usually consider an arrow, ribbon, or semicolon to encourage mental health awareness. However, some people are likely to dismiss those tattoos as cliches. These tattoos are great for raising mental health awareness; you can say whatever you want.
Chemical Compound Tattoos
Chemical compounds, such as those for Serotonin or Dopamine, can let you remind that something isn’t your responsibility. Some people like to have an oxygen compound tattoo to remind them to breathe when they feel stressed.
These tattoos might not only be a great talking point but can also be beneficial if you have a mental disorder. They also appear to be extremely cool.
Tattoos using a Mixture of Chemical Compounds
These kinds of tattoos combine the chemical components of dopamine and serotonin. There’s no reason to limit yourself to just one chemical compound! Consider what chemicals you’ll need for your mental illness and how the compound looks to begin designing your next tattoo.
Quotes About Mental Illness Tattoos
Quote tattoos will never go out of vogue. You can combine them with any tattoo you like, whether it’s a flower representing hope or a semicolon. These are some of the best mental illness quote tattoos.
Summary
For different people, tattoos and symbols have various concepts. Don’t let this dissuade you from getting your dream tattoo. There are no two ways to depict mental illness, and the ideal tattoo is the one that feels right to you.
