Ink positive: how tattoos can heal the mind as well as adorn the body

Forget the stereotypes – getting inked can be a powerful means of reclaiming your body and processing grief or traumaIf one thing has become obvious in the summer heat and the inevitable baring of flesh, it ’s the degree to which body art is now the norm. At the pool, the park, or the pub beer garden, you’ll find an enormous variety of designs inked on the skin representing the breadth of human creativity.About20% of adults in the UK now have at least one tattoo, and that proportion is likely to grow. Cynics might argue that the increased uptake is a superficial fad, based purely on the aesthetic appeal of tattoos. In this view, they might be the result of a momentary impulse to follow a passing trend followed by years of regret, rather than something that holds deep meaning.Continue reading...

Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - July 31, 2021 Category: Science Authors: David Robson Tags: Psychology Tattoos Science Society Source Type: news