Tattoos have become a popular thing nowadays with so many people around us flaunting at least one. However, there are a lot of people who have held the Guinness World Record for most number of tattoos and there are many people with their full bodies tattooed. Have you ever felt that interested in tattoos? Well, not most of us would say yes to that. So what exactly gets people so invested in tattoos?
Before we get to that, it is important to remember that an addiction to anything can be harmful or dangerous. It is important to remember that there is a limit to everything and that limit should not be tested. Likewise, if you get fascinated with tattoos and want multiple tattoos then there is so harm in that but do not forget to have proper consultations every time with your best tattoo artist and also be honest about everything with them; be it the last time you got a tattoo or any medical conditions you might have.
Now, let’s see what exactly gets people addicted to getting tattoos.
1. The Cool Quotient
Almost everyone who has thought of getting a tattoo has done so because they have at least once felt that it would be a definite cool statement. While for many that urge of being cool through tattoos goes away, there are some people who can consider tattoos to be the coolest way of art or expression and owing to that, they get addicted to getting cute tattoos whenever they feel like they need to level up on their coolness.
Another aspect of this is that there are certain personality types or even professions that have an image of the person as a tattooed one. Due to that as well some people get tattoos and eventually to maintain that image they keep getting inked, for instance, band members.
2. Only Way to Express
In today’s world it is a great scenario wherein we all have some or the other way to express ourselves. Art is one of the best ways to express be it poetry or music or even sketching on paper or your own body. Some people are in surroundings where they can only express their emotions or journey through their tattoos because there might not be enough space to voice those emotions or just no means to do so. Tattoos act as a great medium to convey one’s mind, feelings and even life through art. This way of expressing becomes a habit and because of that certain people keep getting tattoos because that is their only outlet of their emotions.
3. Rebel with a Cause
This could seem silly to many but it will make complete sense to those who are in places where it becomes rebellion when you are just being yourself. In such set ups and environments, self-expression is also rebellion and there is no better way to do that than through tattoos. Many people find that peace and comfort of being in their own skin in such dominating environments when they get their tattoos because that is the only way for them to be heard or even seen for what they feel and for who they are. They become rebels with a cause and in the process develop an addiction for the art.
4. The Feeling of Relaxation
Tattoos can make a lot of people feel extremely relaxed and that comes from the fact that when you get inked, your pain releases natural chemicals in your body which leads to a feeling which is said to be similar to a high. That kind of a feeling is not confirmed but it surely gets people addicted to getting inked. Similarly, that pain you feel makes your mind convince your body to be relaxed so that you don’t feel discomfort for too long. This relaxed feeling doesn’t come naturally to a lot of people and to get it, they get invested in tattoos.
5. Cultural Aspects
This is not news to many of the tattoo enthusiasts that tattoos have been in this world since a long time, longer than the modern era. This is backed by evidences found of tattoos on mummies. A lot of cultures in this world involve body art through traditional means of tattooing. It is also seen as a symbol of masculinity or strength in many cultures. Considering such traditions, many people get multiple tattoos out of respect and also a desire to continue their culture. Of course, this cannot be fulfilled with just one tattoo. Some frequently also get tattoos of their native styles from time to time as a reflection of their nativity in their metropolitan lives.
6. Sense of Control over Life’s Experiences
Control is something which everyone is obsessed with these days but almost everyone fails because one can’t really control life. With that in mind, tattoos act as a great medium of presenting a tool to have control over one’s life. This is because most custom tattoos are inspired by life’s experiences and those experiences might have shaped one’s life in a big way. Such experiences steered life for a while but by designing a tattoo around these experiences, one gets to represent that experience in the way they want to, regardless of the impact it had. That itself is a big way to have control over one’s life.
7. A Sense of Identity.
It is a theory that we form our sense of identity by understanding who we are and who we are not. For instance, I am a woman because I am not a man. Likewise, a tattoo can act as a huge identity marker for individuals who feel lost or are still exploring their self. The process of identifying the true parts of our own personality is gradual and each step or stage can have varying impacts. Hence, there are a plethora of people who tend to get tattoos on their way to a discovery of self or even to keep marking parts of their identities as and when they form and understand it. Each tattoo becomes a part of their being and holistically these tattoos form their identity. That, without a doubt, can create an addiction.
With all these reasons it is quite clear that tattoos are more than just a tattoo artist’s art on human body as canvases. Tattoos have a profound meaning for people and there might be many people out there who have more than one of these reasons behind their addiction to getting their bodies inked. While it is not yet completely proven that tattoo addiction is a medical condition, it is definitely a state of mind and being that certain people might find themselves in and we have already listed the reasons for that. Do you think any of these apply to you?