Are tattoos really an addiction?

Inked_Trinity · 12-28-2011, 08:56 AM

I am heavily tattooed. I recently finished a very large tattoo on my leg that runs from my hip to my ankle. There are people who say that I'm addicted to ink. This lead me to do some research about tattooing. Can it really be addicting? I read several articles on the subject. Most disagree with the concept of addiction to tattoos. I'm wondering what your thoughts are.

Linus · 12-28-2011, 09:02 AM

I don't know if it's an addiction as much as it's a creative desire. Most people I know who have lots of tattoos usually have an image in their mind of what they want the tattoos to look like. And often this means more than one to get the full piece of art done.

Amber2010 · 12-28-2011, 09:19 AM

I will have to agree that it is an expression. I wanted one as a teenager and then had kids instead. LOL Last year my 18 year old niece took me for a little ride to a tattoo palar and says Aunt you always wanted one you are getting one. So she and I proceeded to each get one. I now have a little shell on my ankle that I so love and love her for taking me. My kids all rolled their eyes at me when I got home and they saw what my niece took me to do. Of course all say I need to grow up. Giggles but I love it and will always feel like it was the right thing to do for me. My little shell is an expression of me and how much I love the beach.

Ryobi · 12-28-2011, 09:38 AM

Personally, I don't think the tattoo its self is an addiction. The chemicals your body releases when getting a tattoo is what can be addictive. Endorphins and adrenalin can be very powerful "drugs". I remember how my whole body (and mind) felt after a tattoo on my shoulder. I would like to feel like that everyday however, I can't do it naturally. There has to be an outside factor to it.

I've known of people who have let bills fall behind in order to get a tattoo. I guess it doesn't feel as good to them paying their rent as it does getting a tat.

In a nut shell, I can see the addictive attributes to tattoos.

twist of lime · 12-28-2011, 09:39 AM

I think the entire experience can be addicting. Our senses are a powerful thing as are endorphins. Who wouldn't wanna feel good? lol

Gemme · 12-28-2011, 07:33 PM

If it's an addiction for the singer to sing or for the artist to paint, then yes, tattoos can be an addiction.

girl_dee · 12-28-2011, 07:36 PM

Oh yeah, they can be!

The_Lady_Snow · 12-28-2011, 07:36 PM

I don't have an addictive personality so when I make the decision to mark a milestone of my life upon my canvas it's just that a piece of art that tells a story to me about me.

midwest chick · 12-28-2011, 07:51 PM

Personally, I don't think of it as an addiction, but I've never known anyone that got tats instead of paying bills.

My daughter has a sunset on her back, it's just one of 14 that she has. My son has a few. Just like piercings, it's an expression of self, and part of their identities. Don't know where they got the idea to get them, but I also have a little art.

Because it's pretty much permanent, a lot of thought and consideration goes into body art decisions, similar to body sculpting...

It takes a lot of planning, research, time, to find or create, the design, locate an artist, and get a large tat, but the results are awesome!

Would a person that spent a year planning a vacation cruise,
they take the cruise, enjoy it
have endorphins like crazy flooding them during the vacation
be addicted to the vacation experience?

Thought, time, planning, money are involved in both scenarios, and I don't consider either to be an addiction.

Personal opinion only!!!

justanolecowboy · 12-29-2011, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linus

I don't know if it's an addiction as much as it's a creative desire. Most people I know who have lots of tattoos usually have an image in their mind of what they want the tattoos to look like. And often this means more than one to get the full piece of art done.

______well said.

akiza · 05-24-2017, 03:49 PM

personally it's depend it don't bother me and the most important is the person who's getting a tattoo and the reasons why it's done it's representative of something for them if your life isn't in danger and you don't get regrets and mega problems it's alright i'd won't to get one in the future and be proud of him

12-28-2011, 08:56 AM	#1
Inked_Trinity Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Butch Preferred Pronoun?: BadAss! / Sarcastic Bastard! Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Earth Posts: 2,352 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 3,507 Thanked 6,924 Times in 1,817 Posts Rep Power: 21474851	Are tattoos really an addiction? I am heavily tattooed. I recently finished a very large tattoo on my leg that runs from my hip to my ankle. There are people who say that I'm addicted to ink. This lead me to do some research about tattooing. Can it really be addicting? I read several articles on the subject. Most disagree with the concept of addiction to tattoos. I'm wondering what your thoughts are. __________________ Tell me I can't do it.. then stand back and watch me amaze you.

12-28-2011, 09:02 AM	#2
Linus The Planet's Technical Bubba How Do You Identify?: FTM Preferred Pronoun?: He/Him/Geek Relationship Status: Married to my forever! Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 5,440 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,929 Thanked 10,743 Times in 3,176 Posts Rep Power: 21474856	I don't know if it's an addiction as much as it's a creative desire. Most people I know who have lots of tattoos usually have an image in their mind of what they want the tattoos to look like. And often this means more than one to get the full piece of art done. __________________ Personal Blog \|\| [] \|\| Cigar Blog "We become Human Doings instead of Human Beings." -- Ram Dass

12-28-2011, 09:38 AM	#4
Ryobi Member How Do You Identify?: TG Stone Butch. Over all, I identify by living my life. Preferred Pronoun?: He/His Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Upper Midwest Posts: 633 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 683 Thanked 1,238 Times in 357 Posts Rep Power: 12468327	Personally, I don't think the tattoo its self is an addiction. The chemicals your body releases when getting a tattoo is what can be addictive. Endorphins and adrenalin can be very powerful "drugs". I remember how my whole body (and mind) felt after a tattoo on my shoulder. I would like to feel like that everyday however, I can't do it naturally. There has to be an outside factor to it. I've known of people who have let bills fall behind in order to get a tattoo. I guess it doesn't feel as good to them paying their rent as it does getting a tat. In a nut shell, I can see the addictive attributes to tattoos. __________________ "If you can't do great things, do small things in a great way" Napoleon Hill. "To choose a word is to choose a world" Anonymous

12-28-2011, 07:33 PM	#6
Gemme Practically Lives Here How Do You Identify?: Queer Stone Femme Girl of the Unicorn Variety Preferred Pronoun?: She, as in 'She's a GEM' Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: The roads are narrow here Posts: 36,587 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 182,179 Thanked 108,771 Times in 25,659 Posts Rep Power: 21474887	If it's an addiction for the singer to sing or for the artist to paint, then yes, tattoos can be an addiction. __________________ Gemme's Journal I'm misunderestimated.

12-28-2011, 07:36 PM	#8
The_Lady_Snow MILLION $$$ PUSSY How Do You Identify?: Kinky, Raw, Perverted, Uber Queer Alpha Femme Preferred Pronoun?: Iconic Ms. Relationship Status: Keeper of 3, only one has the map to my freckles Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: La Reina del Sur Posts: 22,488 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 32,231 Thanked 80,119 Times in 15,678 Posts Rep Power: 21474873	I vote nay I don't have an addictive personality so when I make the decision to mark a milestone of my life upon my canvas it's just that a piece of art that tells a story to me about me. __________________ "If you’re going to play these dirty games of ours, then you might as well indulge completely. It’s all about turning back into an animal and that’s the beauty of it. Place your guilt on the sidewalk and take a blow torch to it (guilt is usually worthless anyway). Be perverted, be filthy, do things that mannered people shouldn’t do. If you’re going to be gross then go for it and don’t wimp out."---Master Aiden

12-28-2011, 09:19 AM	#3
Amber2010 Member How Do You Identify?: Happy, Crazy, Bubbly, Funny, Strong, Outgoing, Friendly Preferred Pronoun?: Femme Relationship Status: Complicated Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 200 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 920 Thanked 594 Times in 154 Posts Rep Power: 3787183	I will have to agree that it is an expression. I wanted one as a teenager and then had kids instead. LOL Last year my 18 year old niece took me for a little ride to a tattoo palar and says Aunt you always wanted one you are getting one. So she and I proceeded to each get one. I now have a little shell on my ankle that I so love and love her for taking me. My kids all rolled their eyes at me when I got home and they saw what my niece took me to do. Of course all say I need to grow up. Giggles but I love it and will always feel like it was the right thing to do for me. My little shell is an expression of me and how much I love the beach.

12-28-2011, 09:39 AM	#5
twist of lime Member How Do You Identify?: femme Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: under a red tiled roof Posts: 364 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,223 Thanked 406 Times in 102 Posts Rep Power: 6656174	I think the entire experience can be addicting. Our senses are a powerful thing as are endorphins. Who wouldn't wanna feel good? lol

12-28-2011, 07:36 PM	#7
girl_dee Practically Lives Here How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: dee Relationship Status: Hitched up Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Livin’ the Dream Posts: 24,079 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 30,560 Thanked 54,956 Times in 13,922 Posts Rep Power: 21474873	Oh yeah, they can be!

12-28-2011, 07:51 PM	#9
midwest chick Member How Do You Identify?: femme Relationship Status: married Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: here. Posts: 398 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 5,201 Thanked 1,678 Times in 338 Posts Rep Power: 21474849	Personally, I don't think of it as an addiction, but I've never known anyone that got tats instead of paying bills. My daughter has a sunset on her back, it's just one of 14 that she has. My son has a few. Just like piercings, it's an expression of self, and part of their identities. Don't know where they got the idea to get them, but I also have a little art. Because it's pretty much permanent, a lot of thought and consideration goes into body art decisions, similar to body sculpting... It takes a lot of planning, research, time, to find or create, the design, locate an artist, and get a large tat, but the results are awesome! Would a person that spent a year planning a vacation cruise, they take the cruise, enjoy it have endorphins like crazy flooding them during the vacation be addicted to the vacation experience? Thought, time, planning, money are involved in both scenarios, and I don't consider either to be an addiction. Personal opinion only!!!

05-24-2017, 03:49 PM	#11
akiza Member How Do You Identify?: femme Preferred Pronoun?: khaleessi lol ^-^ just go with aki,ana,kit or princess Relationship Status: single Join Date: May 2017 Location: Congo-brazzaville Posts: 774 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 318 Thanked 622 Times in 284 Posts Rep Power: 0	personally it's depend it don't bother me and the most important is the person who's getting a tattoo and the reasons why it's done it's representative of something for them if your life isn't in danger and you don't get regrets and mega problems it's alright i'd won't to get one in the future and be proud of him