Anyone Else Into Body Modification?

[FireSign8]

I was half wondering if anyone has ever done a study of the people who engage in body modification & piercings. I guess tattoos would be included, but far too many people seem to have tats these days. The people with larger gauge holes in the ears are my target group, as I happen to be one of them.

So, are there many of us with PTSD who engage in stretching our flesh for fun & fashion?

 

[FireSign8]

I have been wondering if PTSD people do this more than others.
I have recently found joy in stretching my earlobes up to a 0 gauge.

 

[Eagle3]

I'm not so much into modification as I am other forms of socially acceptable self-mutilation. I started collecting tattoos. I have two so far, and my only real motivation for finding meaningful employment is being able to afford more tatts.

 

[Fadeaway]

I am the person who always thinks about how I would like too, but I have never had the guts to take the plunge. I see in a completely different light than self harm. I have cut in the past do to emotional agony but to do do something like that for pleasure...because I like the aesthetics of it... it kicks in my massive fear of doing anything that I might consider wild and crazy and risk taking. I freeze and can't follow through.

 

[Ronin]

Ish.

As in body mods mean too much in terms of history & identity for me to take them lightly.

Not something I can think of as self harm / in terms of pain, that way goes madness. Making it about life reclaimed? Hell yes.

 

[VioletButterfly]

I do have pierced ears, but feel very much like a preppy in that regard, compared to having lobes stretched. :wideeyed: Tattoos? Hmmm - Hep C and needles were concerns at the time. I did think about having a small butterfly tattooed on my hip when I was younger and maybe having a belly button ring though. Scandalous, I know! On the plus side, the ring and tattoo would now be located about 6 inches lower given gravity so I think I made the better decision for myself. ;)

 

[NoWhereKnowWhere]

I've got a few tattoos a few piercings I did have my lobes stretched for a while but don't anymore.

I don't think of it as self harm or mutations it's just decorating your body. I think for a start it was to claim my body back but I love my tattoos and will absolutely get more. Like the lobe stretching it's not sore if you're really patient and do it right. And tattoos don't heal properly if you don't take good care of them and piercings get infected if you don't clean them when they're healing. I think it can be good for self care the initial pain then the caring for them. I feel it to be healing but that's not why I have I do it for the aesthetic.

 

[NoWhereKnowWhere]

Bloody autocorrect Lol *mutilation

 

[FireSign8]

I think it's becoming a cleansing ritual for me. I enjoy seeing how far I can push it without ripping the flesh! I got the stuff from my kid for free & it took me years to finally get to the 0 gauge. I want to take it to the next level because it's fun & the ugly earlobe creases from my heart ailments don't show up with my big flanges! My ears almost look normal again. I think my head might be stuck in my teen years!:roflmao:

 

[Deleted member 42957]

I'm really interested and excited by scarification. I hope to have something done but cannot decide what. Anyone had one done?

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I have tattoos and use to do ear piercings and that was about it. I took out more of the piercings because I felt too old for them anymore. I like where I have them now. I do not think of it as self harm and I love the ritual of getting a new tattoo to signify a new event in my growth or some thing to do with my family. I actually love to get tattoos and feel as I am really treating myself when I get one, but I cannot afford to get anymore so I am content with the ones I do have and they all have a deep meaning to each one to be a milestone event in my life.

 

[EveHarrington]

I have no body modifications. (Pierced ears, single hole, does not count IMHO.)