I have just one tattoo, and it was real therapy for me. After the death of someone close to me, I decided to get the two lines of a poem she loved inked on me. I found out when I got my tattoo that it helped me to move on. So could getting a tattoo be a form of therapy like any other? How can an inking help us feel better psychologically and physically?
Getting a tattoo isn’t a trivial act. When you decide to take the plunge and get a tattoo, you know that you’ll have it on your skin for the rest of your life. Most people choose to give their tattoo a strong meaning, as they’ll have it for their whole life. Of course, getting a tattoo just for the beauty of the design, without any meaning, in particular, is just as acceptable too.
💠However, many give a strong meaning to their designs on their skin because it’s a representation of their identity, their life, or their past.
It’s thanks to the meaning you put in your tattoo that you can soothe emotional shocks or psychological wounds. Personally, getting a tattoo of something related to my mother’s death helped me through the stages of grief. I felt that I had marked this event to realize and accept her passing. That’s where getting a tattoo can be important in the healing process.
âžś It helps to accept the mental pain by symbolizing the trials of life through art inked onto your skin.
Psychological wounds aren’t the only wounds you can heal with a tattoo. Indeed, you can cover up scars on your skin with a tattoo (this has to be checked by a tattoo artist according to the state of your skin). An association, helps women who have suffered from breast cancer with therapeutic tattoos:
A tattoo instead of breast reconstruction
🌿 Tattoos help to reclaim your body after an accident or an illness. And even if your body hasn’t gone through any trauma, it’s a way of making peace with it.
Beyond healing a psychological wound, tattoos are a way to gain self-confidence and assert yourself. Some get a minimalist tattoo on a part of their body that they don’t like, while others get a huge tattoo that makes them feel strong.
đź’Ş Through tattoos, we reclaim our bodies and are more able to overcome our complexes. We learn to love it thanks to the drawing on our skin. This is how tattoos have the power to help us and progress whatever wounds we have.
However, be careful. You mustn’t get a tattoo from just anyone. There are tattoo artists who couldn’t care less about your physical or psychological wounds, and this can lead to a very bad experience. You must choose people who are specialized in tattoo therapy.
Galliane Murmures is a tattoo artist who performs tattoo therapy. As a nature lover, she’s made flora and fauna her favorite elements. She decided to unite her passion for tattoos and drawing with her psychological knowledge to offer a drawing for the body and a therapy for the mind.
“For a long time, I had a complex about my body, but I learned to love it, especially by making it a canvas upon which various artists have left their work. It narrates both my life and my passions, as well as my feelings and emotions. It’s by inking my body and through the testimonials of those around me that I wanted to carry out my therapeutic tattoo project.
Many people explained their approach to tattooing to me: women who have undergone a mastectomy and who didn’t want to have breast reconstruction, but who wanted to cover up their scar with a tattoo; victims of traumas or particular experiences who wanted to ink their body never to forget or, on the contrary, to be able to get over this stage; some people who have experienced grief, others come with scars or burns that are unattractive to them…
So many stages to go through, so many stories and lives and needs, but all with one final goal: to help others to heal, move on, feel better. My approach is based on the psychological workaround tattoos as therapy by talking, analyzing, and drawing your own project through my fingers and experience.”
Tattoo therapy is therefore a way of feeling better, but beware! It doesn’t replace long-term therapy. A tattoo may help if you don’t feel ready to see a psychologist. It may also be appropriate if you see that the tattoo has soothed you, but it’s important not to let your suffering stagnate or grow inside you. Tattoo therapy helps, but you mustn’t forget to take care of your mental health if you feel the need.
Tattoos can have a number of psychological benefits for some people. Here are some of the benefits commonly associated with tattoos on a psychological level:
Editor’s note: A first stepGetting a tattoo of a strong symbol or a significant event in your life is an excellent decision that often helps you to move on. However, depending on the trauma, your experience, or your current situation, a tattoo won’t be enough to solve everything. The best solution is therefore to begin therapy with a professional 🤗 Understand yourself, accept yourself, be happy... Let’s do it here and now! #BornToBeMe |
Be sure to check these articles out too;
Article presented by
Katie, M.
"🌻 Discover the world through my eyes."
I’m starting to get tired of the routine and daily grind. Yet, I’m hesitant to step out of my comfort zone and take the leap. My bubble is reassuring, and so far, I’ve thrived in it, but I no longer want to be held back by the fear of trying new things. Stepping out of your comfort zone brings many benefits, so how can you dare to take the plunge? Here are 5 tips to get started! 💪
We tend to think of New Year as a sort of fresh start, making it the perfect time to break a bad habit and adopt a better one. After all, we all want to be better, so it’s natural to want to make good resolutions to bring about change. But what happens when we don’t stick to them? After years and years of watching t-shirts pile up because “this year, I’m starting to exercise” and never following through, hello, sense of failure! So, what do we do with New Year’s resolutions? Do we choose better ones or just forget about them altogether? 🥳
If there’s one article I was eager to write for Wengood, it’s this one. I’m part of what’s called the “neuro-A” community, in other words, “neuroatypical” individuals. It might be a term you’ve heard before without really knowing what it means. So, what is neuroatypicality or neurodivergence? Is it an illness? A personality trait? A way of functioning? If you’re asking yourself these questions, you’re in the right place—I’m here to answer them.
Intense anger outbursts, disproportionate verbal and physical aggression… These are all signs that may indicate intermittent explosive disorder (IED). I know what I’m talking about because someone in my family has it. For a long time, I struggled to understand their explosive anger reactions. I think they themselves didn’t know why they reacted that way… until they were diagnosed. Let me explain.
The big introvert that I am has long struggled to approach others. It’s true that taking a step toward someone isn’t easy, especially when you’re dealing with additional challenges: introversion, lack of self-confidence, social anxiety… Having experienced all of this myself, but having made progress over the past few years, I have a few tips to share with you so that you too can come out of your shell. Let’s get started!
If I’ve never experienced a burglary as an adult, I did go through it during my childhood. I remember the uneasy feeling of knowing that strangers had entered our home. I kept wondering if they would come back… The psychological impact of a burglary should not be underestimated. What does it trigger? How can one overcome the feelings of fear and insecurity? Let me share my thoughts with you.
Sharing everything with your partner is a sign of a healthy relationship for some people, even when it comes to working. However, that being said, for others, working with their partner just seems like a bad idea and the perfect recipe for tension. Do we need to separate our personal and professional lives, or is it okay to blur the lines and mix everything? After all, what could do wrong? Find out how to cope when your significant other is also your coworker!
“In any case, you’re the favorite.” I’ve heard this phrase coming from my sister’s mouth over and over again. For a long time, her jealousy spoiled our lives, but I only wanted one thing: for us to be close and united. She poured her resentment in my face for many years until it got out of control. I couldn’t stand feeling so much anger and guilt at the same time. Soothing 30 years of jealousy hasn’t been easy, but there are ways to avoid getting to that point. I didn’t want jealousy to cut me off from my sister!
Growing up with narcissistic parents is certainly no easy feat, because, let's face it, people with this disorder are unsympathetic, selfish, manipulative, egotistical, and dishonest, yes, that's right, these traits aren't exactly those showcased by the parents of the year. Realistically, these folks simply don't have the basic qualities required to become good parents, which is why, when they choose to have a family, things often spin out of control, and the narcissistic abuse undoubtedly crushes children's mental health.
Is the gaze and approval of others essential for you? Are you incapable of saying no? Do you do everything you can to get yourself noticed? This excessive need to please may well be indicative of a profound uneasiness. Why do you need to feel validated by other people so much? And how can you free yourself from this oppressing tendency? We reveal everything you need to know for a more straightforward lifestyle.
Comments