Your thoughts
-
ValpoU
- meeting the neighbors
- Posts: 289
- Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:42 pm
- Location: Northwest Indiana
Your thoughts
What are your thoughts on tattoos and piercings as an alternate to SI? Couple of months ago I was really feeling like harming myself and nothing felt better than the rush I got from getting my eyebrow pierced (professionally of course). I'm also considering getting a couple of tattoos to cover up some of the scarring. Am I playing with fire?
-
Never Again
- quintessential regular
- Posts: 2069
- Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 3:55 am
- Location: USA
i can say in my case that i have used piercings as si. i have many, and i got most of my more 'extreme' piercings in response to extraordinary stresses. i'd get as many as the place would agree to at one time. and i felt on top of the world when it was done.
i have two tattoos, and one was on impulse. sure i felt better, but only for a few hrs until i realized i got one shitty ass tattoo. and it's on my forearm. not that easy to hide for the rest of my life. i liked the tattoo that i chose, but i could tell the guy was inexperienced, and although my rational mind was screaming to run away, i just wanted it so bad right then that i didn't pay attention. and it's really bad. really, he messed it up big time.
so, i would really be careful using these things as another way to si. at least in my case, each time i had not been thinking clearly. and now have a very permanent reminder... and yeah, it's that bad. i know if i was thinking clearly, i would never have done any of this. it's hard to think clearly when you're in the frame of mind where you choose to harm yourself.
take gentle care,
i have two tattoos, and one was on impulse. sure i felt better, but only for a few hrs until i realized i got one shitty ass tattoo. and it's on my forearm. not that easy to hide for the rest of my life. i liked the tattoo that i chose, but i could tell the guy was inexperienced, and although my rational mind was screaming to run away, i just wanted it so bad right then that i didn't pay attention. and it's really bad. really, he messed it up big time.
so, i would really be careful using these things as another way to si. at least in my case, each time i had not been thinking clearly. and now have a very permanent reminder... and yeah, it's that bad. i know if i was thinking clearly, i would never have done any of this. it's hard to think clearly when you're in the frame of mind where you choose to harm yourself.
take gentle care,
I have love. I have love but I don't know where to put it.
-
lucky_lenny
- town councillor
- Posts: 1598
- Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2008 11:43 am
- Location: Who cares? I'm loving my green buses :D
This is going to be a bit rambly, so sorry in advance...
I'm Maori, which is the indigenous people of New Zealand, in case you didn't know, and both Self Harm and Tattooing are parts of my culture.
Self harm was used back in the day to exhibit your grief during mourning --> people would cut their arms with mussel shells and stuff.
Tattooing, or "Moko" is traditionally a fairly hard core process as it is. They use actual chisels to etch the skin before running the ink through the wounds, and they're created in such a way that you have to get them redone your whole life. Similarly, the process can be quite dangerous unless you're in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing, so it was banned for a large part of the twentieth century.
I see them as two separate things though, because they're separated in my culture in such a way. And it's part of why I'm quitting at all, in a way.
Because moko are (or were) a sign of nobility, and my family are, in the Maori world, kind of as blue blooded as you get. As a result there's always been this "One day I might get a moko..." thing in my mind, but the fact that I... SI, means that no moko artist will touch me, for various reasons involving sacredness and stuff. I'm breaking tapu (root of word "taboo") the way I am now, and that means that... yeah. It cannot be tied to my SI at all.
Gah. It's hard to explain...
tl;dr - in my culture they're two totally separate things, and so no I don't see them as the same, or think of tattoos or piercings as a coping method, or another form of self injury. The fact that I do hurt myself actually prevents me from getting tattooed.
Modern Guy's Facial Moko, the way it's done, traditionally, I love Gaultier
I'm Maori, which is the indigenous people of New Zealand, in case you didn't know, and both Self Harm and Tattooing are parts of my culture.
Self harm was used back in the day to exhibit your grief during mourning --> people would cut their arms with mussel shells and stuff.
Tattooing, or "Moko" is traditionally a fairly hard core process as it is. They use actual chisels to etch the skin before running the ink through the wounds, and they're created in such a way that you have to get them redone your whole life. Similarly, the process can be quite dangerous unless you're in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing, so it was banned for a large part of the twentieth century.
I see them as two separate things though, because they're separated in my culture in such a way. And it's part of why I'm quitting at all, in a way.
Because moko are (or were) a sign of nobility, and my family are, in the Maori world, kind of as blue blooded as you get. As a result there's always been this "One day I might get a moko..." thing in my mind, but the fact that I... SI, means that no moko artist will touch me, for various reasons involving sacredness and stuff. I'm breaking tapu (root of word "taboo") the way I am now, and that means that... yeah. It cannot be tied to my SI at all.
Gah. It's hard to explain...
tl;dr - in my culture they're two totally separate things, and so no I don't see them as the same, or think of tattoos or piercings as a coping method, or another form of self injury. The fact that I do hurt myself actually prevents me from getting tattooed.
Modern Guy's Facial Moko, the way it's done, traditionally, I love Gaultier
~ What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. It is always the same step, but you have to take it. ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Lenny Is a Punk (or "My Place" 
)
Lenny Is a Punk (or "My Place" )-
brknflight
- unpacking boxes
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:13 pm
- Location: Seattle, Washington
I actually use tattoos as a reason not to cut. First it was if I don't cut on my arms by the time it takes to save up for the tattoo, I can get a tattoo. Then it was I had to wait six months without self harming before getting a tattoo. It's like a reward for me. Don't cut somewhere specific or don't cut at all and I can get a tattoo.
-
kalayla
- wearer of happy pants
- Posts: 41512
- Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:41 pm
- Gender: gal =]
- Location: alternate reality
i have two tats and some piercings
i never used them as anm alternative to
SI tho im sure you could. to me they
are just expression of who i am
i never used them as anm alternative to
SI tho im sure you could. to me they
are just expression of who i am
"when they finally
found me this halo fit my throat. I am your contorted angel"
SI free: a while
{{disco lemonade}}
my place<3
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 47 guests