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Original poster

Semicolon - stigma or no stigma?

62 replies

Maurora · 03/01/2025 00:12

I'm an advocate for raising awareness about mental health, especially with regard to men.

Although people's struggles with mental health often go unnoticed, do you think it's a positive sign to get a semicolon tattoo or do you think it further stigmatises?

People get Ironman tattoos, and maybe marvel at the commitment as they know the distances and what's involved. Some may look upon them as egotistical and unnecessary others as motivational. It is a massive achievement...

Struggling with mental health isn't so clear cut. Someone may suffer from depression or attempted suicide and it may come and go. Some may have had a stint of poor mental health but found their way back to stability, maybe never to suffer with it so severely again.

I'm not critical or judging, just wondering if it's a positive tattoo for those who have recovered? I guess you don't get an Ironman tattoo until you've finished... But then, everyone has mental health and you never know when it may strike again.

OP posts:
PoissonOfTheChrist · 03/01/2025 00:19

What? People are getting random semicolons tattooed on them? What's it supposed to do?

maudelovesharold · 03/01/2025 00:21

What is a semi-colon meant to signify, with regard to MH?

Janedoe82 · 03/01/2025 00:21

No stigma as wouldn’t have had a clue what it means

Yennefer44 · 03/01/2025 00:23

Yes, people get semicolons tattooed on them. It has a meaning. A friend of mine has one, and when I saw it on her, it was a shock to me as I didn't realise about her struggles. But to me, it was positive, not a stigma.

SatinHeart · 03/01/2025 00:25

Janedoe82 · 03/01/2025 00:21

No stigma as wouldn’t have had a clue what it means

Same

GruffaloChildCrimbo · 03/01/2025 00:29

It's a pause ;
For those who have survived suicidal ideation.

I wouldn't have it myself, same as I wouldn't want a medusa (some women who were raped have these) but nor do I judge anyone with them.

All tattoos are personal to the owner.

LonginesPrime · 03/01/2025 00:31

Well, a tattoo is a personal decision, and since different people feel differently about tattoos and their purpose (or absence thereof), level of permanence (e.g. sone people are always re-covering existing tattoos anyway), etc, I think it really depends on the person as to whether the semicolon is intended to be positive or not.

While, on the face of if, it doesn't seem particularly positive for someone to view an attempt as an enduring part of their identity, some people might want that tattoo as a reminder that they'll get through their current/future tough times, which might be quite helpful for them.

Original poster
Maurora · 03/01/2025 00:35

It's not an attempted suicide icon. It's just struggles with mental health in general. This is my point I guess, within 7ish posts where people have the option to Google and not just seeing it on someone it already has the wrong connection - I think I have my answer.

OP posts:
PoissonOfTheChrist · 03/01/2025 00:42

But what's the point of it? To let others know that you've suffered or are suffering from poor mental health? Why?

2025Y · 03/01/2025 00:46

I always thought a semi-colon tattoo was for those who had considered suicide.

A semicolon represents a sentence the author could have ended, but chose not to. The sentence is your life and the author is you.” If you ever see someone with a semicolon tattoo, it’s because he chose to continue his life when faced with thoughts of suicide.

I have a small one under a ring on my hand. Got it done 2015.

However maybe the meaning has moved on since then.

2025Y · 03/01/2025 00:49

PoissonOfTheChrist · 03/01/2025 00:42

But what's the point of it? To let others know that you've suffered or are suffering from poor mental health? Why?

To remind myself I am strong, I can get past this and I have people who love me and would be devastated if I let my thoughts overwhelm me.

Mine isn't on show it's under a ring. It's tiny. But I know it's there. It gives me strength.

PoissonOfTheChrist · 03/01/2025 00:56

Thank you 2025Y, I can understand that-having a small discreet tattoo as a message to yourself. I'm glad you feel better than you did.

I think it's strange to have one on view to others though.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 03/01/2025 00:58

I’d assume someone with a semi colon tattoo on their wrist had survived a suicide attempt, I didn’t think they were for other mental health struggles. I’ve always thought them a bit attention seeking if I’m honest, I think it’s the fact they’re usually on the wrist so not easily covered and something likely to be visible most of the time to most people. I find it odd that you would want strangers to know you’d attempted suicide or to prompt people to ask questions about it. I wouldn’t get one because I wouldn’t want to be reminded of my attempts and certainly wouldn’t want strangers to know or ask about them. I’m not overly secretive about my mental health issues but I don’t want everybody to know but I have scars on my wrists which I do try to hide as I get all sorts of intrusive questions if they’re ever uncovered and I don’t like being judged on them. I just find it odd you’d want to advertise an attempt like that, not because I think it can’t be talked about but I think I would want to have control over who knows and who doesn’t.

LonginesPrime · 03/01/2025 00:59

Maurora · 03/01/2025 00:35

It's not an attempted suicide icon. It's just struggles with mental health in general. This is my point I guess, within 7ish posts where people have the option to Google and not just seeing it on someone it already has the wrong connection - I think I have my answer.

Surely the meaning it has for the person who decides to get that tattoo is determined by that person, though?

It's all very well saying "no, it doesn't mean that", but you don't know what it means to other people.

To me, it's punctuation being used as an analogy for life. But to others it will mean something different. If you're trying to convey a very specific message, it might be worth considering something with words, like song lyrics or a line of a poem.

Original poster
Maurora · 03/01/2025 00:59

2025Y · 03/01/2025 00:49

To remind myself I am strong, I can get past this and I have people who love me and would be devastated if I let my thoughts overwhelm me.

Mine isn't on show it's under a ring. It's tiny. But I know it's there. It gives me strength.

Show quote history

Ah. If I’d have typed a different question to Google I wouldn’t have posted this to Mumsnet.

You’re right, Project Semicolon. I asked it about the semicolon and mental health and it returned an explanation about mental health struggles as well as suicide etc.

Thank you for confirming - it makes more sense.

OP posts:
Twinglane · 03/01/2025 01:01

Attention seeking at its finest

Twinglane · 03/01/2025 01:01

MolkosTeenageAngst · 03/01/2025 00:58

I’d assume someone with a semi colon tattoo on their wrist had survived a suicide attempt, I didn’t think they were for other mental health struggles. I’ve always thought them a bit attention seeking if I’m honest, I think it’s the fact they’re usually on the wrist so not easily covered and something likely to be visible most of the time to most people. I find it odd that you would want strangers to know you’d attempted suicide or to prompt people to ask questions about it. I wouldn’t get one because I wouldn’t want to be reminded of my attempts and certainly wouldn’t want strangers to know or ask about them. I’m not overly secretive about my mental health issues but I don’t want everybody to know but I have scars on my wrists which I do try to hide as I get all sorts of intrusive questions if they’re ever uncovered and I don’t like being judged on them. I just find it odd you’d want to advertise an attempt like that, not because I think it can’t be talked about but I think I would want to have control over who knows and who doesn’t.

This

Toddlerteaplease · 03/01/2025 01:07

I think it's attention seeking tbh.

2025Y · 03/01/2025 01:13

Toddlerteaplease · 03/01/2025 01:07

I think it's attention seeking tbh.

Not being goady, but do you think that women who have tattoos where they've had a mastectomy are attention seeking too?

Or are they proud survivors?

Original poster
Maurora · 03/01/2025 01:18

I got my answer… But possibly didn’t think how this thread may affect others with the responses. I’ve just learned that you cannot delete a thread. Apologies

I’m not sure if having the tattoo is any more attention seeking than having any tattoo. Mental health is a hidden disability in a lot of cases. I guess the tattoo may largely go unnoticed except for those in the know, who most probably have a connection with its meaning.

OP posts:
Twinglane · 03/01/2025 01:20

2025Y · 03/01/2025 01:13

Not being goady, but do you think that women who have tattoos where they've had a mastectomy are attention seeking too?

Or are they proud survivors?

Show quote history

Yikes that’s a bit of a reach!

LonginesPrime · 03/01/2025 01:24

Not being goady, but do you think that women who have tattoos where they've had a mastectomy are attention seeking too?

Do you mean at the beach or in the supermarket?

Toddlerteaplease · 03/01/2025 03:12

@2025Y since it's not likely anyone would see that, I don't think it's comparable!

SanctionedBreak · 03/01/2025 03:37

I think people who think it’s attention seeky don’t know what it feels like to truly want to end your life, fight against that intense struggle, and come through the other side wanting to live. I can understand wanting something to permanently remind you of the strength you had to get through that. As for it being on the wrist, that would be so that you always see it, not necessarily everyone else.

Blarn · 03/01/2025 04:41

Until this thread I had never heard of this. It's really interesting the poster with te one on her ring finger finding it encouraging that she has moved on from the place she was. I'm the opposite in that it upsets me to think about the constant thoughts and plans I had to end my own life. My life is lovely now, I wouldn't want anything to remind me that I could get back there.

I think it shows how personal mental health is. If it is something you want OP, then do it. I think it would prompt questions if it was somewhere visible so you would need to think about that. I don't hide my experience but it never comes up in conversation if that makes sense. Would you feel OK discussing it often?