Overcoming depression symbol

Depression & Mental Health Tattoo Ideas: 50+ Designs & Meanings

Over 50 interesting depression & mental health tattoo ideas to showcase your state of mind. Only quality photos and trusted explanations.

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Today’s world is very dynamic and fast-paced, which brings many advantages. But we should not forget that such conditions are the reasons for the development of stress and even depression.

Even though depression is a very negative aspect of life, you should not shy away from it and accumulate it in yourself. You can demonstrate your condition on your body by getting a depressive tattoo. Also, you can even challenge depression by getting an anti-depression tattoo. More than 50 unique tattoo ideas we have collected for you in this article.

Widespread Depression Tattoo Designs to Be Inspired

According to psychologists, you should not cope with depression and life’s difficulties alone. So you accumulate all the bad energy and thoughts in yourself, driving yourself into depression even more.

We suggest that you splash out your condition in the form of an image on your body. The most popular depression tattoo designs are:

⥤ Noise in the head,
⥤ Tattoos with clouds,
⥤ The theme of fatigue and workload,
⥤ Skeletons tattoos,
⥤ Tattoo ideas with text,
⥤ Tattoos with masks ideas,
⥤ Minimalistic tattoo designs,
⥤ Tattoos with brain images.

Noise in the Head Tattoo Ideas

Psychologists say that all problems begin with our thinking. So the cause of depression is most often our thoughts. Above are original tattoo ideas with images of noise in the head 😵‍, which distracts from life by concentrating attention on problems.

Depressive Tattoo Designs with Clouds

An equally unique and interesting idea is clouds or fog in the head ☁️. More often than not, such images on the body carry a depressive meaning due to menacing clouds with rain. Such a tattoo demonstrates the sad and detached state of its owner.

Tattoos Sketches on the Theme of Fatigue and Workload

The most common cause of depression is a high workload that causes fatigue 😣. Stay in control of your life by taking care of proper rest. Then no “rock” will pull you down.

A symbol of depression can also be a red hand of the devil 😈, which seems to take you captive, depriving you of any strength and energy.

Depressive Skeleton Tattoos

Very often skulls are chosen for depressive tattoo designs. In the traditional interpretation of the tattoo skull means:

💀 Death,
💀 Sacrifice,
💀 The struggle with death,
💀 Forgiveness.

Also, the skull in the tattoo world can be perceived and interpreted as a place of preservation of the soul. Therefore, it is often used to reflect the state of the soul through the tattoo.

Depression Tattoo Ideas with Text

Tattoos with text are common in a variety of themes and meanings. With such tattoos, a person usually wants to directly demonstrate their message to the world. Such tattoo designs are ideal for confident and brave people.

Tattoo Designs with the Idea of Masks

People with depression in this state see the world as if they were putting on a mask 🎭 every day. This is how they hide their condition from those around them, pretending that nothing is wrong with them. If you belong to this type of person, then the depressive tattoo ideas presented above will suit you perfectly.

Minimalist Depressive Tattoos

Such a tattoo demonstrates the problem of a person’s bipolar disorder 👥.

This minimalist tattoo design carries the message that tears 💧 are normal for expressing emotions and do not make a person weak.

This tattoo carries the meaning that despite the clouds ☁️ and thunderstorms, after that there will be sun ☀️, which is just waiting for its time.

This minimalist and neat design demonstrates the idea of a depressed person just observing his life. In such a state, it seems that you are not in control 🧐 of your life.

Sometimes you have to think not only with your head 🧠 but with your heart ❤️ as well. Very often it is intuition that helps a person make the right decision.

Tattoo with a Brain Image

In the second photo, the tattoo carries the idea that it is a person’s brain and thoughts that make them vulnerable to themselves and create internal contradictions.

The first photo demonstrates the design of the brain tattoo 🧠, which is being treated. It shows that the person is trying to get rid of a depressive state.

Unique Anti-Depressive Mental Health Tattoo Ideas

Some people who have coped with depression want to put a positive drawing on their bodies to keep them optimistic and remind them of the good things. However, another category of people sees an opportunity to take the first step in fighting depression with an anti-depression tattoo.

Either way, whether you belong to the first or the second category of people, we have selected ideas of antidepressive tattoos for you in its popular categories:

⥤ Flower tattoos;
⥤ Tattoo designs with text;
⥤ Tattoo ideas with images of nature;
⥤ Vibrant and bright tattoo ideas.

Unusual Tattoos with Flower Images

A tattoo with flowers 💐 carries one of the strongest anti-depressive meanings:

🎕 Vitality;
🎕 Joy;
🎕 Freshness;
🎕 Vitality.

This strong and upbeat tattoo design can also be accompanied by a beautiful phrase. The most common choices are: “Still growing” and “Take care of yourself.”

Inspirational Mental Health Tattoo Ideas with Text

Most often in mental health tattoo designs can be found the symbol “;”, especially naturally they are inserted in tattoos with phrases. This symbol means:

🖤 Fighting depression;
🖤 Life;
🖤 Hope;
🖤 Life goes on.

Bright Tattoo Ideas with Nature Elements

This tattoo could be called a “happy chemical” 🧬. This design demonstrates the serotonin’s chemical structure, known as the “happiness hormone”. This tattoo idea is very interesting with the introduction of mountains as a natural element inside the facets of the element’s chemical scheme.

The butterfly is the most common antidepressant, nature-inspired tattoo. This is due to the interpretation of this tattoo design:

🦋 Freedom;
🦋 Lightness;
🦋 Symbol of the soul;
🦋 Rebirth.

This bright mental health tattoo shows the idea that even clouds ☁️ and rain ☔️ are not bad weather, the sun ☀️ can always come out, and there a rainbow 🌈 will be. It teaches that life is not bad, even if it seems so.

Above you can see a beautiful embodiment of the already known to us “;” symbol along with the natural element 🌻. As we found out earlier, flowers are one of the most powerful anti-depressive tattoos in their meaning.

Vibrant Sketches Mental Health Tattoo

Above we offer you the brightest and most interesting ideas for antidepressive tattoos with a cheerful message. It is interesting to note that these tattoo designs also include images of flowers.

It’s important to prioritize your mental health. You have to consciously choose happiness and tune in to the positive.

This miniature cute tattoo is just one positive, thanks to the bright colors and joyful smiley 😊. This tattoo design carries the idea that you should get rid of stress like garbage and feel happy.

Best Places to Get Depression Mental Health Tattoos

After passing the stage of selecting a tattoo design, the next step awaits – the choice of a place for tattooing. It is very important so as not to spoil the effect of the body picture. For example, if you get a tattoo on the stomach, then after the changes in the figure its look can significantly change.

Tattoo pain chart

The most popular place for a depressed mental health tattoo is the hands. This trend can be traced by looking at the tattoo ideas we have suggested in this article. We have described the top places for mental health tattooing in the table below.

Summary

Depression is a difficult period in everyone’s life, but as with all situations: it all depends on the attitude of the person himself. Courageous people become the masters of their lives and their condition.

You can start by demonstrating your mental state: holding everything back is even worse for yourself. To help you with this, we have selected 50+ depression mental health tattoo ideas. Among them, you can also find anti-depression tattoo designs that remind you how good and positive life is. You just need to challenge your depression and take care of your mental health.

FAQ

🔝 What are the most widespread depression tattoo designs?

The most widespread depression tattoo designs are noise in the head, with clouds, the theme of fatigue and workload, skeletons, tattoos with text, masks, minimalistic, and brain images.

💪 What is the most powerful anti-depressive tattoo image to its meanings?

The most powerful anti-depressive mental health tattoo designs are images of nature. But the most powerful of them in their meaning are tattoos with flowers.

🥇 What are the most popular body parts for depressive tattoos?

The most popular body parts for depression mental health tattoos are the arms and legs in the shin area.

💯 Why is it worth getting depressing tattoos?

The accumulation of bad emotions and thoughts in yourself only aggravates your depressed state. Applying depressive tattoos on your body will help you be more open to yourself and the world. Perhaps showing your condition through tattoos will be your first bold step to combating depression.

Symbols of Depression You May Not Have Thought of Before

Tanya J. Peterson

Symbols of depression abound in all forms of art and communication. Because major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex illness affecting someone’s whole being—emotions, thoughts, cognitive functioning, behavior, and experiences in the world—it can be hard to put into words. Symbols are powerful ways to understand depression. Below is a collection of depression symbols that aren’t as widely known as other more prominent icons.

First, Some Common Symbols of Depression

You might have seen rainstorm images, ravens, and skull or grim reaper symbols. Barren landscapes and faces of cliffs are popular, too. All of these are commonly associated with depression because they capture the essence of the darkness, despair, struggle, and thoughts of death that are hallmarks of major depression.

Other depression symbols depict hope and transcendence. Butterflies represent beautiful transformation and healing, while the semicolon indicates that depression is a pause in one’s life journey, not a final stop. The anchor is another popular way to portray major depression; indeed, it’s a symbol of hope and strong, stalwart support or solid tethering to life despite the raging storm one is trying to endure.

These symbols speak volumes. They’re not the only images people use to express depression, however.

Negative Depression Symbols You May Not Have Realized Were Associated with MDD

Poplar trees represent pain, grief, and funerals.

The half-moon represents the dual experience within you. Half of you is illuminated, trying to fight depression while the other half has given up and remains in the dark.

Stagnant water evokes feelings of being stuck in thick murk, surrounded by mosquitos and unable to flow.

Fire represents anger, destruction, and punishment and thus symbolizes the common belief in depression that one has been destroyed and/or is a terrible person who deserves the illness as punishment.

Pomegranates. Taken from Greek mythology, the pomegranate was the fruit of the dead and symbolized Persephone’s entrapment in the Underworld. To ensure that she would return, Hades tricked Persephone into biting a pomegranate.

The direction North. In literature and depression, north symbolizes cold, hostility, isolation, and death.

The “peace” sign. Surprisingly, this emblem didn’t stand for peace. Believe it or not, it’s a abstract representation of depression. Look hard enough, and you’ll begin to see it as it was meant to be: as a stick figure bent over in hopeless anguish. (See the short lines as arms reaching for the ground and the circle as representing the head. )

Positive Symbols of Depression Not Always Recognized as Such

Koi fish. According to legend, koi steadily and gracefully swam up a powerful waterfall. As a reward for their determination and perseverance against this menacing obstacle, they were transformed into dragons.

Dragonfly. These beautiful, ancient insects symbolize overcoming hardship and taking the time to connect with and nurture the positive within us.

Small stones. Their depression symbolism comes from the ancient Chinese proverb, “The man who moves mountains begins by carrying away small stones,” and the African proverb, “If you wish to move mountains tomorrow, you must begin by moving stones today.” Depression is a tall, broad mountain that seems impossible to move or even climb over. Yet, doing so is possible by taking small steps every day—by moving stones.

Succulents are beautiful and hardy. The serve to remind us that we grow stronger because of our hardships. Depression makes us stronger.

The Phoenix is the mythological bird that rises from its own ashes, just as you can rise out of the depths of depression, your ashes. (“Ashes” is a bonus symbol of depression for you.)

Anything that is meaningful to you can be your own depression symbol, illustrating what your illness is to you and your overcoming it to thrive in your quality life once again.

article references

APA Reference
Peterson, T. (2022, January 4). Symbols of Depression You May Not Have Thought of Before, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2023, April 11 from https://www.healthyplace.com/self-help/depression/symbols-of-depression-you-may-not-have-thought-of-before

Last Updated: January 11, 2022

Medically reviewed by Harry Croft, MD

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DEPRESSION IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF DISABILITY IN THE WORLD

This diagnosis is often misdiagnosed. Depression is a disease that has many causes and about which we still do not know much.

Sadness, dark thoughts, low self-esteem, loss of interest or inability to enjoy... Depression is not just a blues, but a real illness. It affects all aspects of daily life and is accompanied by an increased risk of suicide. It can lead to the formation of various addictions, as well as heart disease, diabetes or sexual disorders.

Many factors are involved in the development of depression. Vulnerability factors are at the basis, for example, if a person was a victim of abuse in childhood. The development of depression is usually preceded by the impact of so-called trigger factors. They can be a breakup in a relationship, the death of a loved one, or financial problems.

Apparently, genetic factors also play a certain role, which makes it possible to speak of hereditary predisposition. Chronic illness, smoking, dependence on alcohol or other psychoactive substances, and even an unbalanced diet can also increase the risk of depression.

322 million

people living with depression in 2017 ¹

+ 18.4% ²

Less than half of people with depression receive antidepressant medication. ³

GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF THE CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

DISTURBANCES IN THE OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM OF NEURO-MEDIATORS

In people with depression, the biochemical processes occurring in the brain are disturbed. This disorder can manifest itself as a deficiency or imbalance in the content of one or more types of neurotransmitters - molecules that are released from the terminal part of the neuron (at the synapse) and act as carriers of chemical signals in the brain. Depression disrupts the balance of three neurotransmitters: serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. They are involved in the regulation of mood and behavior, and their function can be restored with the help of antidepressants.

SYMPTOMS

According to guidelines issued by the World Health Organization and republished by the French health authority (Haute Autorité de Santé) in October 2017, “an episode of depression is characterized by the presence of at least two of the following three main symptoms (see infographic) for two consecutive weeks with a certain degree of severity; they must be different from the patient's previous condition and cause significant distress. "

Depressive episodes usually resolve after a few weeks or months with treatment or spontaneously. This state is called remission.

If subsequent episodes of depression do not recur, recovery is declared, but this rarely happens. In 50–80% of cases, a new episode occurs within the next 5 years. ⁶ Depression is considered chronic when certain symptoms persist, sometimes less severely, for at least 2 years.

TREATMENTS

Psychotherapy is recommended regardless of the severity of the depression.

Several types of psychotherapy are used, including supportive, cognitive-behavioral, and analytic-based psychotherapy, as well as psychotherapies based on individual, family, and group sessions.

Relatives and friends invariably play a special role in the treatment of the patient. The patient's expression of his suffering and his acceptance of help are of the utmost importance for successful treatment.

In addition to psychotherapy, the use of drugs, in particular antidepressants, is most often useful or even necessary.

Antidepressants are recommended for moderate to severe episodes of depression.

There are several classes of antidepressants. Most of them target nerve cells that release serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine. Their action is realized through various mechanisms through which the concentration of neurotransmitters increases or the nerve circuits damaged due to depression are restored.

The physician selects the antidepressant that is most appropriate for the patient, based on the patient's symptoms, medical history, past or current conditions and treatment. The effectiveness of antidepressants usually becomes noticeable only after a few weeks.

TWO PHASES OF TREATMENT (THREE IN THE EVENT OF RECURRENCE):

The acute phase (6 to 12 weeks) is needed to overcome the current episode of depression.
Consolidation phase (4 to 6 months) aims to reduce the risk of disease recurrence in the short term.
Maintenance phase: After three episodes of depression, treatment can be given for several years to prevent relapse.

In most cases, treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis (at the patient's home) under the regular supervision of a healthcare professional. However, sometimes a patient may require emergency care or an episode of depression may be resistant to traditional medications. In this case, hospitalization may be considered.

THE ROLE OF SERVIER

For over 30 years, Servier has provided medical solutions to people who suffer from depression. Recently, the attention of our group has been focused, in particular, on the development of a digital cognitive-behavioral approach.

It combines a cognitive approach, which focuses on correcting the thoughts that keep the patient in a state of emotional decline, and a behavioral approach, which focuses on correcting unacceptable behavior. The goal of therapy is for patients to adopt a new way of thinking and develop optimal behavior.

RECURRENCE PREVENTION MEASURES

Incorporate regular, moderate-intensity physical activity into your daily routine
Exercise (walking, running, swimming, cycling) at the recommended frequency of 30-40 minutes 5 times a week.
Eat a balanced diet
A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, vegetable oils and whole grains. This type of food is high in essential fatty acids, vitamin B12, selenium, zinc, and iron, a lack of which increases the risk of depression.
Discuss your psychological problems without delay
Talking to family, friends or a doctor can help prevent a relapse of depression. In addition, there are communities that provide the necessary assistance to those in need

Find out more in the brochure "BE HAPPY!" developed with the support of Servier for people with depression

This material was created jointly by people suffering from or recovering from depression who are members of the GAMIAN-Europe group, which brings together patient organizations from around Europe, and Servier.

*THIS MATERIAL IS NOT A CALL FOR SELF-THERE.
CONTRAINDICATIONS, CONSULT HEALTH PROFESSIONAL NEEDED

List of sources

(1) (2) (3) WHO Report: Depression and other common mental disorders 2017 https://www. who.int/mental_health/management/depression/prevalence_global_health_estimates/en/

(4) http://www.info-depression.fr/spip.php?rubrique16

(5) Léon C, Chan Chee C, du Roscoät E, the Baromètre santé 2017 survey group. La depression en France chez les 18-75 ans: résultats du Baromètre santé 2017. Bulletin épidémiologique hebdomadaire. 2018;(32-33):637-44

https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/content/download/119666/file/152124_2018-32-33-1.pdf

(6) Website of the French National Inserm Institute for Health and Medical Research, report on depression.

https://www.inserm.fr/information-en-sante/dossiers-information/depression

Depression and its symbolism. Article. Analytical psychology of C.G. Jung. Self-knowledge.ru

Depression in middle age is a common phenomenon.

In this period of life, and in any other, when a person is looking for expansion of consciousness, overcoming reactive formations of the ego, or looking for a clearer and more adequate expression of his essence, a person may encounter a decline in spirit, emptiness and meaninglessness.

By the spirit of a person here I mean the psychic energy of a person, his eros, which is necessary for the realization of the journey of the soul, i.e. that of our life-affirming part, which is given by nature.

Often in psychoanalysis, depression is expressed in such symbols as a bottomless, dry well or desert, i.e. a place where there is no more water, no feeling, no movement of life.

In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the soul of a person must necessarily be moist, and if it dries up, the person feels exhaustion and inner emptiness. This condition was called the "disease of the monks" or "spiritual stupor."

If this happened in a tribal society, then the sorcerer or shaman performed a collective ritual in order for the collective unconscious of the group to wake up, fill the sick person.

Now we know that depression carries with it a deep psychodynamic meaning: when this Lady-in-Black drops in on us, we don’t need to drive away the intruder, but respectfully offer her a place and listen to what she wants to tell us.

Of course, testing a person with depression requires a lot of courage and self-confidence from him. Therefore, it is important to remember the duality of any phenomenon: although the Black Lady depletes energy, takes away water from the well of our heart, the energy itself does not go anywhere. Water escapes only from the reactive ego, and this event can finally give rise to the manifestation of the true Essence of man, which alone can be so courageous as to descend into the unconscious like Orpheus or find an oasis in the endless desert.

Each of us has our own path, and the symbols that lead us in those areas where the light of consciousness is inaccessible. These symbols appear to us either as a barely audible whisper, or as a torch illuminating the underground "world of the dead", or as a Lady in Black, who both intimidates and directs.

In the process of deep psychoanalytic psychotherapy, a person is like a shaman or a hero… he goes along the thread of Aridna in search of lost forces, lost pieces of the soul, in order to reunite with them, to find a new integrity, meaning and richness of the spirit.

Jungian psychologists find therapeutic value in neurotic depression. In their opinion, such psychodynamics are due to the regression of energy under the influence of the self and, like the nightly regression, sleep, serves to restore balance and heal the soul and body. In metaphorical language, this means that if some vital part of our personality is left behind, it is very important to go back and find it, bring it to the surface, integrate it and live it.

Depth psychologists pay special attention to dreams, because dreams come to people not only from the very bottom of the well, but even from a deeper well in its bottom. Therefore, we can encourage the use of the technique of active imagination, which allows you to activate the repressed mental content. Having managed to realize this material, we, as a rule, find a way out of depression.

Our psyche uses depression to get our attention and point out to us that there is a lie somewhere deep within us.

Understanding the therapeutic value of depression and going through it, in a sense, you can make friends with it. In general, if we were not in pain, the psyche would already be dead. Pain and suffering are a clear sign that something alive remains, waiting for our call to come back to life again.

Sometimes we need to stop clinging to the "joyful, meaningful world", fall into the arms of Depression, feel its depth and, having accepted its poison, see the world less bifurcated and simpler.

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