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Check out these ideas for mental health and anxiety tattoos for the next time you get inked.
“The thematics ranged from symbols that tackle depression, anxiety, addiction or self-injury.”
Photo: Getty
Then some words or images are unique to someone’sjourney with anxiety.
Below are 14 anxiety tattoo ideas with explanations for what these illustrations represent beyond the surface.
“The tattoo is also an homage to Nantucket, where I grew up.
Claire Miller
It was tradition to sit on our deck most nightsand look for the Big Dipper and shooting stars.
They’re some of my happiest memories so I wanted a daily reminder of that.”
“The tattoo signifies my thirst for freedom and transformation.
Julia Joy Sweeney
For three years, I was in the wrong relationship.
I wanted to get out so badly, but I couldn’t during that time.
Polar Bears
Petrovic created this design for a client who wanted to reference his struggles withmental illness.
Arvie Narido
“One of the bears is awake, happy, alert, and ready for action.
The other one is sleepy, sad, and depressed.
They also do not interact, and they do not look at each other.
Milena
The one that’s ready for action is looking straight at you.
The other one has his eyes closed.”
“Our nonprofit’s mission is to help millennial and Gen Z women find hope and connection.
Autumn Grant
Life can be scary, and sometimes you oughta take it one step at a time.
Lionesses
Maryland-based tattoo artistAshley Paigecreated this tattoo inspired by lioness’s fearless and protective nature.
She needed a sense of peace about the safety of her girls and her ability to protect them.
Ashley Paige
Arrows
When considering anxiety tattoo ideas, Madison Tong settled on this simple design.
It’s meant as a reminder to keep moving forward even when anxiety strikes, says Tong.
This tattoo helps me overcome my anxiety and power through it.”
Madison Tong
It is recognizable as a stylized heart which can also be interpreted as the outline of a female body.
Many people also associate it as a combination of two lines which combine to represent strength and recovery.”
“When anxiety hits me for whatever reason, I get a tattoo.”
Amanda Feldman Jay
He views the tattoos as reminders to clear his mind and block out negative thoughts.
“Pain therapy sessions have become an excellent outlet for me during high stress,” she says.
“It’s easy to let anxiety cloud the mind with fear and doubt.”
Nick El
Unalome, the symbol from Buddhism that she chose, represents the path to enlightenment, she notes.
I must learn from all the ups and downs to achieve enlightenment.
“She had gone years without wearing shorts or feeling confident enough to show her legs.
Grichell Pelizzari
Shethoughtshe was ‘too dark and too fat’ to feel sexy about the lower part of her body.
I remember being made to feel less than beautiful because of my body.
Sigils
Kari Martin opted for a trio of sigils, which are symbols used in magic.
Ashley Paige
“[I chose] a set of sigils on the back of my leg,” says Martin.
“Mandalas are sacred symbols that are highly visible in Buddhism and Hinduism,” she says.
“Looking at the repetitive, geometric nature of mandalas is incredibly soothing and meditative.
Kari Martin
It’s also familiar, as my maternal family is Buddhist.
“The semicolon means your story is not over.
The butterfly shows that you’ve got the option to be reborn into something beautiful and unique.
Bri Hamlet
The colors green and white are for children’s mental health.
I work with many children and teens who have battled suicidal thoughts and attempts.
I have also struggled with those thoughts throughout my life.
Grichell Pelizzari
I got the tattoo with two clinicians after a tough week.
The tattoo is small and says, I see you, I hear, but keep going.”
“Even when its roots are in the dirtiest waters, the Lotus produces the most beautiful flower.
Grichell Pelizzari
The tattoo represents how I have blossomed, no matter how much I have struggled.
I could not have become who I am today without the struggles.”
“The Grasshopper Mouse lives in some of the harshest desert climates,” he says.
Heath Fradkoff
However, this tiny creature has evolved to hunt scorpions and other dangerous prey, sometimes twice its size.
Oh and when it’s done, it actually howls into the night to claim its territory.
To me, this image is especially aspirational and symbolic.
Dan Lindley
It’s a reminder to be unassuming, even discounted at times.
But when the situation calls for it, be fearless.
“It’s my therapist’s advice on dealing with anxiety.
Acknowledging it’s there, but not making it my dancing partner so to speak.
Keep moving with your current engagements it’ll pass on its own.
Giving anxiety all of your attention doesn’t do any good.”
