as if you needed a reason
I’ve been watching, and listening for many years now, trying to understand what motivates people to get tattooed. I look within as well, to try and understand why I continue to get them. As an area of constant study, observation, and reflection, I feel that I have begun to develop some deeper insight as to why our culture, and many others around the world, are being swept up in the habit of getting tattooed, and I’d like to share some of my observations and ideas about it with anyone who is interested. If you are planning to visit an Austin tattoo studio for the first time, I hope you will visit us at hubtattoo.
Perhaps the first and most important factor in tattooing having achieved such widespread acceptance and acclaim in our culture, is that tattooing is finally a reliably safe practice. Secondly it surely must also be due to the rise of the art-centric tattooer. And thirdly, I feel that as the number of visible tattoos increases, the more ever-present tattooing is in the minds of society and that this will cause the rate at which people choose to be tattooed to increase almost exponentially.
Some people still don’t understand WHY we get tattooed. There are a few very archetypical reasons that in some way or another seem relevant to anyone who gets tattooed…
Getting tattooed is FUN.
Simply the anticipation of a tattoo causes the release of Dopamine. So making the decision to get tattooed, making that appointment, and waiting until the day is, in and of itself, a beneficial, healthful act that can improve a persons overall state of health and happiness.
The physical act of receiving a tattoo causes the body to release chemicals which affect brain chemistry in very healthy ways. The body certainly releases endorphins, which are a form of natural morphine produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus and along with the other chemicals can very easily lead to a state of well-being, a sense of empowerment, acceptance, and happiness. It is my strongly held belief that one day science will show that the regular act of getting tattooed could replace anti-depressant therapy for most individuals, as well as positively affect other mood and personality disorders, improve sleeping habits, help chronic pain sufferers, and increase circulatory health.
Achieving completion of a tattoo can offer collectors a surprisingly substantial sense of accomplishment, especially if the tattoo is very large, or was very painful. In much the same way as climbing a mountain is difficult and sometimes painful, but somehow when the climber is standing at the top, there is nothing better. Accomplishing difficult things is “winning”, which makes anyone feel good.
Tattoos seem to universally (except for the unfortunate collector who gets AMATEUR tattoos) affect self esteem in a very positive way. When you display a nice tattoo, it is inevitable that you will be complimented on it. For some reason people seem to just LOVE to compliment tattoos they like. Personally I find this a little odd, since I would be unlikely to compliment a total stranger on say, her breast implants, or her shoes for that matter, but the fact remains that for many of us, those compliments can really make us feel good (endorphins again). I can’t seem to recall ever getting complimented on what a beautiful back I have, before I had covered it in tattoos.
Wether any of these are our conscious motivation for getting tattooed in the first place is irrelevant. Maybe you’re just wanting a tattoo because you think they look cool, or because it seems like everyone else has one. Ultimately it doesn’t matter WHY you get one, the fact remains that if you do get one (a good one, that is) it’s going to make you feel good, and every time you are reminded of it you’re going to get a little bit of that feeling again. This is where the myth — “tattoos are addictive” comes from. If you try something and its FANTASTIC, it only stands to reason that you’re going to do it again!
All of these factors affect the tattooed person for the rest of their days, and in a life of fleeting and fickle fortunes, tattoos have a staying power that is unmatched.