How Do You See PTSD - Tattoos We Wear and Why

[overtheview]

I have a large tree on my back representing the tree of life. It's about where I've come from and where I'm going. It's still a work in progress as it's a full back piece and I still have other elements I would like to add to it. I also have a wrap around on my wrist of four dragons to represent their wisdom and strength. At the moment I'm planning one to go on my inner arm. It's from a song but I just feel like it has meaning to forge on in rough circumstances. The words are 'We are a hurricane, drop our anchor in a storm.' I'll also add my grandfather's navy service number and an anchor underneath. He is still kicking at 91 and is an amazing man. He also suffers from PTSD but his is due to combat in WW2. He is the funniest person I know and if I have a sense of humor like his in my old age I'll die a happy person.

 

[Deleted member 16543]

My Avatar is my Tattoo. She is the size of my hand and is on my chest, and there is NO hiding her, she reminds me to be me. We look a lot alike, and she reminds me to be the woman I am and not hide it but to be proud of it. To take the time for myself, to be the best I can be, no matter how I feel. She kicks my ass to get out of bed and shower and put on make-up, Gil Evlgren's all wound up

 

[Privateer]

I never got a tattoo, as officers are discouraged from having them.

That said, you can get away with one somewhere that it won't show in uniform, so if I do get into the RN (or RAF, as I just spotted an ad for the RAF Regiment online and I'm still young enough, yay!) I might wait until I'm through my training then get one.

I'd like a wild boar on my shoulder, as they've always been a sort of personal totem of mine, so to speak.

 

[Suchafnldy2]

The one on my wrist says "what goes around comes around" to remind me that I do not have control over what happens to the people that harmed me as a child. It also reminds me of my favorite singer and songs that help me through hard times.

The one on my foot says "cuz I can" it's the name of a song by the same singer (P!NK). I got it when I first started treatment for the abuse and PTSD. I had turned to drugs to cop with all the memories that were coming back so the day after I got sober for the first time I got this tat. I had also just been introduced to spirituallity and it seemed I felt some relief for the first time in my life. So the words "cuz I can" remind me to try not to be negative and to tell myself I can instead of always thinking I can't.

 

[Spiderallis]

I have a spider on one arm, it's where a spider was crawling on me during a conversation with a friend- I was a teenager and in a mental hospital after taking a rather large quantity of hallucinogens and taught myself to ignore the bug-crawling sensations. That spider was real, so I drew a spider design to remember it. There's a hidden symbol in the spider related to a conversation I had with my drug dealer about spiritual matters... only one person has known what it is thus far.

On the other arm I have a collage type piece, several symbols in a pattern with flowers. The spider web is incomplete, unraveled to mean I broke free from the web of addiction- roughly based on Russian prison tattoos. Anarchy, and ankh and the alchemy symbols for Mercury and Neptune to remind me that chaos is just change I don't understand yet, with wisdom and courage it becomes life. The purple flowers are just for looks.

I'm still thinking of a design for the next chapter's illustration, it'll be a while before I have funds and find the right artist. The rough idea is a Cheshire cat, starting with a paw on my hipbone and ending with the tail curling onto my, um, cheek. There's lots of places to hide the real story between the stripes... thus far it's got a few tracings of the edges of a symbols and logos, nothing clearly recognizable but I'll know what's there in the psychedelic looking swirls. My signature-symbol is going on the cat's solar plexus, I'm pretty fond of the expression 'the cat's a--' meaning something awesome.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

My dautghter is into the chershire cat Spiderallis. I think she has one tattooed on her. My daughter has alot of tattoos. I have four.

 

[Ice_Fire]

I have a small tattoo on my left wrist, near to where I used to self harm. It's a heart beat trace, with 'love' and a heat forming part of the trace. Love it, reminds me to love myself, and that I am loved by others. Has helped loads to stop me cutting again.

Have been thinking about getting another tattoo recently. My old therapist, L, likened me to a tree, surviving through all conditions, growing stronger and full of life. Didn't sound as tacky when she said it to me in person. She said she was a little bird, with me on my healing journey. So something to represent that would be amazing. I love wolves too, they are gorgeous animals that I've always admired. Hmm, I shall wait until I have the perfect image in my head before I make it permanent though!

 

[rightkindofme]

I have one tattoo, but it took 16 hours so I think it should "count" as more than one. :) It covers my entire back from the bottom of my spine to the tops of my shoulder blades.

It's a willow tree (I love that so many of us have similar symbols) representing the tree I used to climb into to get away from my brother. He was severely disabled and couldn't climb up after me. That tree was the way I escaped him beating me and trying to rape me. I believe it saved my life. I would climb out my window in the middle of the night to get to the tree when my brother came in my room with knives trying to kill me.

There are banners in the tree with the things I want in my life: hope, love, honor, forgiveness, trust, faith, dreams, and joy. There is a woman reaching into the tree (me, of course: long curly reddish hair, though my hair is really brown--I dyed it for many years) she wants forgiveness. At the bottom she has cut up feet because she is walking through rocks and brambles. The rocks and brambles are anger and fear.

My tattoo artist had to work on me after hours because I cried and carried on so. It hurt like a motherf*. He was loving and patient with me. It pays off to be good friends with the artist and have sex with him before he works on you. He's more bonded and inclined to put up with you being difficult. At least that was my experience. :) He's sad that I am in a monogamous relationship at this point though we are still friends. :)

I can't post a picture because I dropped facebook. Oh well.

 

[QueenOfPaws]

A lot of my ink has no specific reasoning behind it. I have a full sleeve of peacock feathers and flowers , the horseshoe in it is because I ride. My wrist and hand are spiderwebs and a dead queen of hearts , I think reminding me to avoid relationships and the spiderwebs symbolize my entrapment. My neck is script of the name my Dad calls me by. My chest is "Lifes A Gamble" , I also have my back and knuckles done for personal reasons and I am in the process of a full right sleeve of portraits of my dogs. I like the idea of self expression but over that I think I like the idea of hiding behind my ink and making a "art shield" over my skin.

 

[SeanCharles]

Ah ha! I was hoping I would find a thread on this subject...

Today at work I was with a bunch of co-workers and we were discussing tattoos. Somewhere in my childhood, I don't know exactly where my negative mindset on this subject came from originally but I originally had it in my mind that If my creator wanted me to have one, I would have been born with one. After today I got to rethinking this who mindset and am considering a tattoo. I have a few ideas for some possible later ones, but I know it's good to start small first. I am definitely considering this carefully considering the reason is/was the same that I had my ear pierced. (which is closed now). I realize that a tattoo is a permanent commitment of sorts. While Iam a little nervous, I feel I am making a choice that I know I can live with. My thinking on this is that I want a tattoo as an expression of self (well in ways 'selves') I am in a way looking at myself as a blank 'totem pole' or in ways a blank canvas. I hope this makes sense here... I am sure I have questions; just not sure what to ask...

 

[DharmaGirl]

I would like tattoos on my forearms to hide my cutting scars. I was thinking maybe climbing ivy or some sort of words.

 

[Pencil]

tattoos on my forearms to hide my cutting scars.

I love the idea! My daughter has asked me about the scars - and my stories have been successful as she is only 8 - but she won't believe my explanations for long. SO - I think it is an excellent idea!