.co.uk

A tattoo is no longer considered to be just a decorative body modification that is exclusive to the working-class male. Its purpose varies the world over: Some people choose to have symbols of religious and spiritual devotion, while others use ink within the layers of their skin to indicate their criminal history, organizational affiliation or quite simply because they like the way it looks. Whatever the reason, a tattoo is a permanent marking of the body, giving the individual a physical element of distinction.

The concept of ink on skin can be self-expressive or done as an act of rebellion. The problem is these divisions are blurred: When, for example, does tattooing become self-mutilation? With the tattoo generally being more socially acceptable than it once was within today's society, it would seem that it is becoming increasingly difficult to define the limits of tattooing being a form of depressive thought ventilation.

The mere presence of a tattoo receives a lot of attention from the general public, which perhaps can accommodate for a person feeling lost or isolated. Furthermore, the physical pain that accompanies the tattooing process could be considered a method of addiction in dealing with one's emotional distress.

The implication that tattooing is a form of self-harm is an interesting subject that Psychologists like to explore. Anderson and Sansone, for example, discuss the subject in their study 'Tattooing as a Means of Acute Affect Regulation', focusing upon nineteen-year-old male. From their study, they say the tattoo is an indication of an individual's psychological problems; the physical marking from the tattooing process is seen as a form of ventilation hypothesis -- an expression that the person is reaching out and seeking help.

One way of looking at individuals with apparent self-mutilating problems, then, is they have an inability to think coherently in times of high stress, and become frustrated and powerless that they cannot express themselves as they would like to. Physical incision could be considered an act of self-relief in that it relieves tension.

But if this is the case, then surely the number of tattoos present on an individual's skin will indicate their level of emotional distress? If a person has ten tattoos does this mean they are more likely to self-destructive than say a person with just one? Does the count divide the people who want a tattoo purely for body decoration from the people who view the process as having a therapeutic effect?

Either way, permanent tattooing is a practice that involves damaging the layers of the skin; it is a desired scar, representing a person's thought processes at that particular time. Now, whether the decision to get a tattoo is a result of positive or negative inspirations, only the individual's honesty can truly be the judge after the outcome.

On a personal level, I will confess I chose to have a majority of my tattoos done to alleviate my boredom. However, as you will gather from the explanations of the individual designs, I put a lot of thought into each and every one of them beforehand. I'll also admit that, on the whole, my tattoos represent a variety of mood, and I gained a sense of satisfaction from the physical pain I encountered just to get them.

Does that make me a candidate for self-harming, or a simply a person who has too much time on his hands? Most probably both, I'd say.

(C) Andy Carrington, 2009.