Does Trauma have an Impact with Tattoos?!

Question

This is merely a strong observation throughout the years of getting to know people and even seeing it all over media outlets. I’m a believer that for some people who have some sort of  trauma and depression have a desire for tattoos. Just as some reach for that bottle of alcohol, smoke, sex, gambling, etc, this too can be some sort of a “numbing-feel-the-pain” type.

Accepted Answer

We like to call it ink therapy..

Answer

For some people, sure. I don’t think it’s anywhere near a rule though. 
Lots of people have trauma and no tattoos. 
Lots of people have tattoos and minimal trauma. 
I don’t really like the idea of saying one equals the other. It reminds me of those incel lists of women to avoid. Kind of icky.

Answer

When you really think about it almost anything can be someone’s way of numbing the pain or dealing with it in their own way. Many people don’t even realize it. Many people go through tough ass shit and just assume they are fine when they aren’t, they just aren’t using the “typical” forms of numbing the pain like drugs and shit. Could be the need to work all the time. Or working on cars or working out or playing video games.

Answer

People process trauma in a lot of different ways 🤷

Answer

I’ve had lots of personal trauma in my life but nothing I’d ever want to memorialize in ink on my body. My first tattoo was when I was 40. A couple of years after my daughter was stillborn. She was born on my son’s 16th birthday. He and I went for matching tattoos when he was 18. It was cathartic for us both. That’s the only trauma I’ve wanted written on my body

Answer

I have a plethora box of trauma. I was abused as a child, sexually assaulted when I was seven… I have zero tattoos and zero body mods. Don’t even have my ears pierced. I think it’s a form of therapy for some, if not most though. Sexual assault survivors tend to get Medusa tattoos (protector of women). It is a way of taking back our bodies and having control.

Answer

I don’t think so? 
Maybe for some people but for many they are also cultural or personal like a death of a family member or pet.
Also I’m taking this as an opportunity to show mine cause I never get to show anyone

Answer

I think everyone has coping mechanisms the same way everyone has a form of addiction to something.. I don’t think anyone really gets through life without being traumatized. You could say trauma leads to drugs as well.. it’s not the case for everyone. I think it would be hard to make the correlation because everyone deals with things in different ways / reacts to their pain in different ways. Not everyone who is depressed/traumatized will have go get a tattoo, in the same way not everyone who has a tattoo got it because of some underlying hidden pain. I don’t think a true connection there can be made.

Answer

Maybe? Although I think as far as coping mechanisms go, getting tattoos is a relatively healthy one. It involves a level of vulnerability and trust in the tattoo artist (obviously different, but similar on some level to the trust it takes to be vulnerable with a therapist). The pain is cathartic. And the end product is a beautiful work of art that will bring you joy anytime you look at it (hopefully, lol)

Answer

Well tattoos are art. People often express their feelings and emotions through art, so there is that. Also, people who are heavily tattooed have been outcasted. People who have experienced a lot of trauma may already feel outcasted, so being able to do something they want that may cause people to reject them in some way doesn’t seem like as big of a deal. Lastly, people get tattoos for very sentimental reasons. So yes if someone has a lot of tattoos, they may have been through a lot. Or they may not have. While there are reasons someone with trauma may get a tattoo, and even associated with their trauma, it’s not really a definitive link that you can state as a general rule.

Does Trauma have an Impact with Tattoos?!

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