Today, it is likely that you either know someone with a tattoo or have one yourself; it’s true that tattoos are now more mainstream and even thought of as the new “norm”. According to The Pew Research Center, as of January 2007, 36% of 18-25 year olds have at least one tattoo. This definitely doesn’t mean everyone is accepting of tattoos and many people are still being unfairly judged and labeled for their choice of getting a tattoo.
A Tattoo With Meaning
Most people with tattoos wear their skin artwork with a lot of pride and, if asked, will happily show it off but why do these people choose to pay lots of money to put ink under their skin? In a September 2003 poll by Flash2xs.com, 43% of people polled said they get a tattoo that represents something personal to them. What are the emotional reasons behind getting a tattoo and do tattoos actually help people heal emotionally?
Well, I set off to find out why some people decide to get a tattoo and what a tattoo can do for a person? Knowing many people with tattoos personally, made it pretty easy to find people to interview but I should say upfront that I’m a little bias because I’m also proudly tattooed. In fact, it was right after getting my last tattoo when I really started to think about why people get them and what they really mean to people. More importantly, can a tattoo help heal someone’s emotions?
A Symbol of Pride
We often see mothers with their children’s names and birth dates or footprint tattoos; this is a way for them to express their pride in their children. Fathers often get their children’s name for the same reasons, but if asked the mother has much more emotion behind her tattoo, maybe because she is the one that carried that child. So pride is a big factor in getting a tattoo. Whether it’s for a child or the zip code where you grew up, having a tattoo lets a person literally wear their pride on their skin.
The next common emotion behind getting a tattoo is grief. Lots of people get memorial tattoos in honor of a loved one who has passed away. If you ask a person with one of these memorial tattoos if it has helped with the grief, most of them will say yes and that every time they look at that memorial tattoo it brings a smile to their face. But what about suffering a major personal trauma? Could getting a tattoo really help heal these deep emotions?
Unity of Marriage
A close friend of mine decided to let me interview her about her tattoos. She is a married mother of three and has three tattoos. I asked her if any of her tattoos carried an emotional connection to something in her life and she told me about dealing with some major marriage issues for the past couple of years and how her latest tattoo helped heal some of the hurt she had been feeling. When things in her marriage started looking up, she and her husband decided to get matching tattoos to symbolize the new unity and devotion to their marriage. The design they chose was a very pretty green and gold shamrock unity knot, because for them this design not only fit their current emotional needs; it also helped them symbolize the renewal of unity in their marriage.
Healing from Extreme Trauma
I also talked with a young woman who had been both sexually and physically abused as a child for many years. She had decided to get a very large first tattoo and I asked her why she had chosen that design and size? She replied that each flower represented a year of her abuse and when she was laying on the table getting the work done, she could feel herself healing and letting go of all the anger she had buried deep down inside. To her, the pain she felt from the tattoo machine was part of the healing process. When she saw the beautifully colored finished flowers she wept.
Tattoos aren’t only skin deep but they truly run deep into our souls. One thing is certain; most people only regret their very first tattoo and would have chosen something with more meaning. Also, many people I spoke with regret the location of their first tattoo, proving that with age and wisdom comes a better understanding of our inner selves and the ability to choose a good location for a new tattoo!
I'd like to thank all my tattooed friends for letting me ask them such personal questions, without your feedback this article would still be just an idea!
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