Tattoo addiction: does it really exist?

Tattoos have been around for thousands of years, and the idea of ​​adorning our skin with drawings is not at all modern. Thus, although it is not new to mark the body with ink, during the last decades this practice has increased exponentially. His association with crime was far away. Today we all know someone who has some permanent drawing on their skin.

There are people who decide to get a tattoo to represent a memory, an idea, a bond or a significant story, while the goal of other tattoos is simply to beautify themselves. Whatever the reason, it allows us to express who we are, so that Drawing usually has a very marked relationship with our identity.

Now, there is a whole current that defends that in some people we could identify a kind of addiction. “If you make one, you won’t be able to stop.” Thus, today we want to ask ourselves if this addiction really exists and what its consequences would be.

Tattoos are usually related to the person’s identity or important moments.

Why do we get tattoos?

Its use and meaning has evolved over time; Although it is not only young people who get tattoos, it is the sector of the population in which they are most successful. We are no longer surprised to walk down the street in summer and observe legs and arms packed of drawings. Many people even wear them on their faces.

A person’s motivations for getting a tattoo are varied. Pérez Fonseca (2009) has investigated them, identifying a good list of them. One of the most important has to do with our need to differentiate ourselves from the rest., to be and feel singular, unique. It is about carrying with you a personal brand, which represents part of your identity. Many other times, people get tattoos for aesthetic reasons, then looking for a design that seems consistent to them.

On the other hand, Many teenagers get tattoos to feel part of the group of friends. The same usually happens with piercings. It is curious, the tattoo can respond to the need to feel different, and in turn, to the need to feel similar. Furthermore, another possible motivation is the attempt to intensify one’s existence based on a real experience that generates pain in the body.

At the same time, the motivation may have to do with representing an event -in this case, a frequent tattoo is the date- or significant person -in this case, a frequent tattoo is the name-. Furthermore, the objective of overcoming traumatic or difficult events, seduction, promoting change or intensifying one’s own existence are also ideas that can lead a person to get a tattoo.

Does tattoo addiction exist?

Before inquiring about possible addiction to tattoos, it is essential to be clear about what we mean by this term. Addiction is persistent dependence on a substance or behavior.. The compulsive consumption of food, drugs and alcohol are among the most considered, although there are many other addictions that go more unnoticed.

For a certain behavior to be considered addictive, it must meet a series of criteria:

Dependence. Well-being begins to depend exclusively on the addictive component. It becomes practically the most important thing in a person’s life and they feel a urgent need resorting to the substance or behavior to maintain a calm stateTolerance. It is necessary increasing amounts of the substance or behavior to obtain the desired effect, since the effect of the same quantities decreases noticeably with continued consumption.Abstinence. It is highly complex to sustain abstinence, since non-satisfaction of the need causes a deep physical and mental suffering. Stopping substance use or problematic behavior involves fruitless effort. In this sense, the lack of control is notable.Negative effects. An addictive condition significantly and negatively impacts many areas of the person’s life, generating discomfort and difficulties in sustaining daily activities in a harmonious and responsible manner.

Getting tattoos releases adrenaline and endorphins.

How we relate to tattoos

As we see, the notion of addiction reflects a particular way of relating to something or someone, which involves a determining dependence. It can be substances, behaviors or people.

Although there is no research definitive In this regard, many psychiatry and psychology professionals have expressed their point of view regarding the existence of tattoo addiction. On the one hand, it has been discovered that recording them on our skin releases adrenaline and endorphins, that give us a pleasant body sensation, while helping us deal with pain.

Dr. Mark D. Griffiths believes that, for many people, getting tattoos can be more a passion than a problem and that they do not meet your criteria for addiction.

We know that many people acquire a certain taste for marking their skin quite frequently and every time they finish getting their last tattoo They are thinking about the next one. However, this same thing usually happens to us every time we leave the cinema when we see an open-ended movie that we really liked. Surely, we will be eager to watch the second part.

Art usually has more to do with passion and the search and expression of one’s own identity than with addiction.

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