Are tattoos really an addiction?

[pajama]

ummm I may have made an appointment for Thursday to talk to a new-to-me artist about finishing up my Dad's tribute half-sleeve. This will be a cutesy pin-up girl, siting on a tank barrell, in WWII uniform-ish. The I can finish filling in around the pieces to complete the half-sleeve. This artist also will likely be the guy that I get to do my vampire portrait on my thigh...It's the Gary Senese, Dracula, in the suit, tophat, and purple glasses.

Nope....

Not addicting at all.

Nope.

[rustedrims]

I have 4 so far..Addicting i think probly for me..The cash flow has alot to do with getting my next one..Thinking how big i will go..I have 3 more i want to get then i will have 7 total and i cant think past those so i might be done..They are all close to my heart..I want to get one in memory of my dog..He has been gone for 6 years now..Kept thinking what i wanted and i came up with the perfect one for him..That one will probly be close to a weeks pay i am sure..It will be worth every dollar..I miss that dog..Then one thinking about my Mom and the last will be a fun one..I put alot of thought to all of them..When i keep thinking of the same thing and not changing things in the design then i know that is what i want..After the holiday-taxes-insurance stuff i am sure it will happen in a few months..As far as the endorphins go i dont think i have any..When i am done my stomach feels pukie and feel kinda dizzy..I go home and wait about an hour then the burning starts for a few hours not to mention when the water hits it in the shower..That hurts..Falling asleep no not me..I am to busy grinding my teeth hoping none of them chip into pieces..Maybe those are my endorphins..They hurt getting them but i love em..

[LaneyDoll]

Originally Posted by Inked_Trinity

When I get tattooed I tend to fall asleep. I'm not sure if it's something physical or if it's the rhythmic sound of the gun. It's totally relaxing for me. I also love the smell of the A&D ointment.

The only thing that keeps me awake during a cutting is that I do not want any onlooker to think I passed out

[Gemme]

I wish I could sleep.



My adrenaline kicks in high gear and I get the shakes, so my focus becomes me silently willing myself to not shake. Can't sleep while doing that, sadly.

[msW8ing]

Originally Posted by Gemme

I wish I could sleep.



My adrenaline kicks in high gear and I get the shakes, so my focus becomes me silently willing myself to not shake. Can't sleep while doing that, sadly.

Guess i'm an odd duck..it's mesmerizing for me...the noise of the gun and the vibration of the needle/gun just takes me to a different place in my mind/soul...it's soothing and calming..almost trance like..next thing i know i'm asleep. Odd really. But i love them..i now have 9 and hate odd numbers so i will be getting a 10th soon. i don't see myself stopping anytime soon lol

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by msW8ing

Guess i'm an odd duck..it's mesmerizing for me...the noise of the gun and the vibration of the needle/gun just takes me to a different place in my mind/soul...it's soothing and calming..almost trance like..next thing i know i'm asleep. Odd really. But i love them..i now have 9 and hate odd numbers so i will be getting a 10th soon. i don't see myself stopping anytime soon lol

lol

I hate even numbers so I think that qualifies me as being the odd duck.



I have 3 whole tats, but if you break down each time I've been under the gun for a touch up or add on, then it's more than twice that.

[Jett]

Have some tats, I think my drive has always been more the particular tat or event, person place that inspired the tat... BUT I definitely find in the immediate situation of getting tattooed absolute and unusual enjoyment... *shrugs*

[GPS]

i love ink.
i hate the pain
i love my half sleeve so far
i love the way it looks
i hate scabs

yeah for me its an addiction

[macele]

i don't have a tattoo, ... so i can't say. but i can see how it could be an addiction and creative expression. when a person gets so many tattoos that their body is covered, or close to it ... that has to be more on the line of addiction. but again, none here.

when i think of getting a tattoo, it feels so personal. so i can say for sure it wouldn't start off as an addiction. but no addiction does lol.

on the outside looking in, might say i'm skeered lol. nahhh

[msW8ing]

I may be in the stages of designing a new tattoo for my grandbabies..I have a picture in my mind that I am in love with and so suits my babygirls...but can't even think about having it inked on me until I have perfected said design...Valentines Day is my goal for this new tattoo.

[diamondrose]

I am heavily tattooed. I think for myself I am addicted to the rush of getting a tattoo. Even after so many, I still get nervous each and every time I get a new tattoo. Also, getting a tattoo is very relaxing and revitalizing to me and I go into my own space within my mind. Sometimes I fall asleep.

[GPS]

Originally Posted by diamondrose

I am heavily tattooed. I think for myself I am addicted to the rush of getting a tattoo. Even after so many, I still get nervous each and every time I get a new tattoo. Also, getting a tattoo is very relaxing and revitalizing to me and I go into my own space within my mind. Sometimes I fall asleep.

if i could fall asleep, i would be heavily tattoo'd

my last one made me tremble heavily and it hurt for nearly 10 days, my inner arms are so fresh, the skin is so new.

Anyway, i still love ink

[rustedrims]

Originally Posted by LaneyDoll

The only thing that keeps me awake during a cutting is that I do not want any onlooker to think I passed out

LaneyDoll..
I was thinking that if you cant relax enough to fall asleep then you arent getting all what the cutting has to offer.. Maybe you need your cutter to give you a more private setting where people cant see you..If they cant give you a little more privacy then your cutter should understand your sleeping and keep the people away..Maybe i am wrong but its just what i am thinking..I dont understand the cutting thing but then again i do.. My wrists are full of scars from being cut at work and it kinda looks like i am a self cutter..When i would get cut i can feel the uneveness of the steel go right through my skin and not plesant for me..The burning would start because of the solvents and oils getting into my cut..Cant really get it cleaned good until i get home..
I do love getting tattoos and dislike the week of healing..The end result is well worth the pain..Happy cutting..

[JDeere]

For me yes they are an addiction, a managed addiction.

17 and counting.

[Shystonefem]

I admit, I am adicted.

Before my first tattoo, people told me that they are painful. I was sitting there waiting for the excruciating pain to start. It never did.

Getting a tattoo puts me in some kind of trance. I love the feeling and, of course, love the end results

[Shystonefem]

Damn phone. I am addicted too. Lol

[Ginger]

I don't feel qualified to say whether getting tattoos is an addiction and I'm not really sure what health care professionals actually call an addiction, so I looked on Wikipedia and this is what the say:

Addiction is a state characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite adverse consequences

I guess if you get tattoos in a "compulsive" way (perhaps that means, without much thought or consciousness about what you're doing); and get tattoos despite what might be "adverse consequences," then maybe it can be considered an addiction.

This is probably a really over-simplified view, but it's a place to start into the topic of whether it's an addiction.

I'm thinking of getting a tattoo, and if I do, I will think a LOT about it and there will be nothing compulsive driving my decision.

[JDeere]

Anyone else getting any new tats?

I want another one next year, a bigger piece on my back to cover up an old tat.

[Angeltoes]

I have zero tattoos and yet I'm obsessed with them and the idea of having them. I'm just indecisive and I don't think I can trust anyone. I'd like an appointment with Alice Carrier in Portland, but it must be impossible to get one.

[JDeere]

Originally Posted by Angeltoes

I have zero tattoos and yet I'm obsessed with them and the idea of having them. I'm just indecisive and I don't think I can trust anyone. I'd like an appointment with Alice Carrier in Portland, but it must be impossible to get one.

You can find a good trustworthy tattoo artist if you do your research. Most of my tats came from one specific tattoo shop but different artist. I check on the BBB website to see if they have good standing.