Tattoos mental illness

People With Tattoos More Likely to Also Have Mental Health Issues

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Medically reviewed by Scientific Advisory Board — By Janice Wood on January 27, 2019

A new study has discovered that people with tattoos were more likely to be diagnosed with mental health issues and to report sleep problems.

Researchers also found that people who had tattoos were more likely to be smokers, to have spent time in jail, and to have a higher number of sex partners in the past year.

However, the survey-based study also found that having tattoos was not significantly related to overall health status.

The survey was conducted in July 2016 and resulted in a sample of 2,008 adults living in the United States, according to researchers.

“Previous research has established an association between having a tattoo and engaging in risky behaviors,” said lead author Dr. Karoline Mortensen, a professor at the University of Miami. “In an era of increasing popularity of tattoos, even among women and working professionals, we find these relationships persist, but are not associated with lower health status.”

The study was published in the International Journal of Dermatology.

Source: Wiley

Photo: In a survey-based study published in the International Journal of Dermatology, having tattoos was not significantly related to overall health status, but individuals with tattoos were more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health issue and to report sleep problems. Credit: International Journal of Dermatology.

Last medically reviewed on January 27, 2019

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Medically reviewed by Scientific Advisory Board — By Janice Wood on January 27, 2019

Your tattoos may hint at an ailing mind

Getting tattooed may not always be just following a trend. It may also signify your imbalanced state of mind and psychological disorder. Find out here.

Getting inked is a modern-day trend and is now accepted as a fashion statement. Tattoo parlours are multiplying with every passing day, thanks to the increasing demand of flaunting a tattoo. Ever thought that your urge of getting inked may imply to an unstable mind and personality disorders, especially borderline disorder and depression? Sounds weird, isn't it? But that's what several researchers say. A study conducted by the Centre for Forensic Psychiatry, Michigan Department of Community Health shows that those with a desire to get inked are at a greater risk of suffering from antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Not just that, the tattooed ones are more prone to substance abuse, sexual abuse and suicide attempts compared to those with a clean body. Researchers have concluded that tattoos are indicators of mental illness, lack of foresight and promiscuous behaviour.

Tattoos imply an urge to have multiple sexual partners: Several studies have found that being tattooed is linked with greater number of lifetime sexual partners, earlier sexual initiation and higher frequency of sexual intercourse. Not just that, those with tattoos were also found to have a rough history of sexual abuse leading to mental disparity, arousing the desire of having unprotected copulation among adolescents.

Getting inked is linked with ASPD:Those suffering from antisocial personality disorder and having impairment in both self and inter-personal functioning are more inclined to tattoos. Hence, if you find anyone who only thinks about himself, is obsessed with his personal goals and fails to conform to social norms with multiple tattoos, it will not be surprising.

Those with BPD tends to get inked than others: Studies have shown that those possessing symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) like frequent, intense mood swings and an inability to control outburst of emotions are more likely to get tattoos all over the body or in more than one body part. Researchers explain that their failure to manage their own emotions gets reflected in the pain they undergo to bear the tattoos on their skin.

Tattoos imply lack of foresight: Tattoos are a direct reflection of uncontrollable impulsiveness among teens. Those with tattoos are more likely to be associated with risk taking behaviours like smoking and cannabis use, hard drug abuse, violence and suicide.

Getting inked has a lot to do with psychological imbalance: Researchers have observed that those with a desire of getting inked are more into mental blocks and psychological disorders like depression, eating disorders, neuroticism and increased suicidal tendency. Excessive tattoos among adolescents correlate with emotional distress along with suicidal idealisation and attempts.

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Tattoos were considered a sign of a mental disorder

A diagnosis that the whole country is discussing: the Ufa military registration and enlistment office found signs of a mental disorder in rapper Face. According to military doctors, this is indicated by the musician's tattoos on his face. Why ink under the skin is still perceived ambiguously in society, says MIR 24 correspondent Anna Parpura.

On the right cheek is the word "hate", on the left - "love". And three more tattoos just on the face. But the tattoo “DMB-2020” cannot be seen by the rapper. Conscript Ivan Dremin, that is the name of the rapper on the passport, was declared unfit for military service.

Your assessment has been issued to the whole country. Yes, such that the other would not have ink, but real tears flowed: “Such tattoos are already a sign of a mental disorder. For example, there was the rapper Face who failed the medical examination.”

On the Internet, teenagers are arguing about what and where to get stuffed in order to definitely get away from the army. But in the military registration and enlistment office of the city of Ufa, where Dremin was called up, they assure that the Face hack will no longer work.

“A tattoo on the face is not a reason for a young man not to serve in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. It does not interfere with the service, so I see no reason, ”says Rif Valeev, head of the department for preparing citizens for military service at the military commissariat of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Yevgeny Kudinov's hands are completely covered with tattoos, but this did not stop him from serving in the army.

“When I went to serve, the sleeves were made. And in the summer I was constantly put on duty when checks came. Because in the summer you have to roll up your sleeves, and my hands are all blue. Someone came up and said to roll out the sleeves. We laughed,” says tattoo artist Evgeny Kudinov.

Alexander Ognev knows how the fashion for tattoos has changed. He has been in this industry for over 20 years. And if the request to stuff something on his face shocked him a couple of years ago, now he makes such tattoos about once a month.

“You can see a person. It is enough to say why you are doing this, and the person gives back and thinks what to say. And someone is directly very persistent, and not to convince. We do,” says tattoo artist Alexander Ognev.

It is believed that by drawing a tattoo in an open place - the face, neck or hands, a person puts an end to the future in many professions.

“There are areas where a person with a tattoo on his face will definitely not be accepted - this is development, consulting, of course, civil service, finance, banks,” says Sergey Svetochenko, a representative of the job search and recruitment service.

Face tattoos only added popularity. As well as the story with the military registration and enlistment office. The musician once again caught the hype. After all, he would not have been taken into the army even with a clean face - the rapper has several serious diseases.

How did tattoos affect Irina Khakamada's career, is it possible to remove the tattoo from the face and what does a 73-year-old grandfather look like, covered from head to toe with a tattoo? Watch today in a special report in the program "Together" with Ekaterina Abramova at 18:30 on the MIR TV channel.

Author : Anna Parpura

Belarusian State University of Transport - Tattoo from the point of view of a psychologist

Educational work
OVR
Just about psychology

The fashion for tattoos is by no means new - it is one of the ancient methods of decorating your body. Like any fashion, this one is also subject to ebb and flow. In ancient times, tattoos displayed the belonging of people to a special group, for example, warriors or position in the family, like the Japanese peoples. But due to a church ban, tattoos in medieval Europe practically did not develop. The revival of this art occurred only in modern times.

Today, the tattoo industry is developing at an unprecedented pace, tattoo parlors and art studios are opening everywhere. At first glance, the tattoo fits perfectly into the style of modern, patchwork culture. Through a tattoo, a person can express his interests and emphasize the beauty of his body, and the artist shows his skill in drawing.

Why does a modern person cross the threshold of a tattoo parlor and agree to endure pain, from which even modern means cannot completely save? After all, he is not pushed to this by the traditions of the clan or tribal customs ...

Probably, first of all, this is the result of a search for oneself. The world is too big, and there are too many people in it, you involuntarily ask yourself - who am I? Where is my place in the world? Sometimes this question sounds very painful - like Raskolnikov's: "Am I a trembling creature, or do I have the right?".

A tattoo is one of the many ways of self-identification of a person. Moreover, the attractiveness of the tattoo is dual. On the one hand, a tattoo is unique, and a person receives a visible confirmation of his uniqueness. On the other hand, there is a certain element of corporateness.

By tattooing, a person joins a certain already existing circle of tattoo wearers. He becomes the bearer of a peculiar spirit, which is inseparable from the tattoo. A tattoo can carry both the idea of commitment to certain values, and the personal challenge of the tattoo wearer to everyone around.

The owner of the tattoo provokes others to pay attention to it. It gives a sense of self-importance. That is why aggressive tattoos are so common. They are even more provocative.

Modern man is taught from school that he is something significant. Nobody wants to be part of a homogeneous mass, everyone wants to stand out, to express themselves. A tattoo - because of its inalienability - is a very convenient form of such a statement. No need to work, no need to prove or do something. There is no need to make an effort to convey what you have done or information about what you have done to others. Finally, there is no need to worry about the safety of the achieved result. A tattoo is always with you, it is always accessible to the perception of others. You can tear your clothes, lose a thing, forget the text, play a note, but the tattoo will always remain unchanged. Your opinion is guaranteed to you.

A person resorts to a tattoo as a demonstration of the freedom of his own will, when he experiences serious psychological discomfort - when his soul hurts, and there is nothing to rely on. With the help of a tattoo, a person proves to himself and others that he himself is the master of his life.

Tattoo is a classic substitute for something that a person lacks. Very often too soft and insecure people make aggressive tattoos: a knife, a warrior, a tiger. Those who think that they lack attractiveness for the opposite sex decorate themselves with flowers, cats, petals.

The tattoo demonstrates the relationship of a person to his own body. A person who has made a tattoo emphasizes how significant and worthy of decoration his body is, if we are talking about a decorative tattoo. On the other hand, a tattoo can be used not to emphasize the beauty of the body, but to hide its flaws (scars, for example). When it comes to tattoos that occupy a large area of the skin, the question arises of a person's acceptance of his own body (the body is so unloved that you want to hide it at any cost).

There is a certain part of people who, without special need, not belonging to closed communities and not investing in the tattoo information component, cover their body with abundant tattoos. Psychotherapists tend to believe that most of these people suffer from some form of mental disorder, feeling the need to inflict damage on their body again and again. Self-mutilation without suicide attempts becomes an obsessive state for such people, and tattoos meet their needs in the best possible way, as they are painful and leave traces reminiscent of the pain suffered.

Having made a conscious act of putting a tattoo on his body, having accepted some sign as defining himself, and often having challenged the people around you, a person can no longer remain the same. The tattoo works like a trigger (or anchor), psychoanalytically speaking. She constantly reminds her wearer of the choice she made, spurring the appropriate emotions.

Sometimes we underestimate the power of a sign, but a tattoo is not the case. Do not fall for the commercial advertising of tattoo parlors, in a hurry to present the tattoo as a kind of fashionable decoration. When deciding to get a tattoo on your body, it is worth considering this step well.

Carefully choosing a drawing for a tattoo, a person overestimates his values and involuntarily plans his future life. After all, a person must cross a certain "barrier" in order to decide to do this. Of course, the motivation for such a step is different for everyone, but it exists, and everyone must realize for themselves the real reason that prompted them to decorate their body.

In addition, you should think about how others will react to your tattoo. In the perception of many people, a tattoo is a sign of a person's belonging to a particular subculture. According to polls of journalists, 85% of young people agree that people who have a visible tattoo should understand that this form of self-expression is likely to create difficulties for them in their career or personal life. Some get tattoos in places where they are not visible to others. Even their parents may not know about such secret tattoos. But sooner or later, any secret ceases to be a secret, and they will also learn about the tattoo.

Like any fashion, over time, a tattoo may lose its popularity. In fact, can you expect your favorite jeans, shirt, dress or boots to be worn for the rest of your days? Of course not! Styles, styles and colors change. But you can’t change a tattoo like clothes. Plus, what you think is “cool” at 18 may not seem so to you at 30.

According to statistics, 50% of people who decorate themselves with a tattoo take measures to remove it within 10 years. How many of those who regret getting a tattoo do not make these attempts because of their rather high cost, by the way, much higher than getting a tattoo even in a good salon, unfortunately, is unknown.

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