[FarmerFrank]

Ive never been big on self injury, more like self destruction.... just the way of life, alcohol... relationships, violence and the others.
That old saying I deserve to be punished rings a bell on the occassion.
I always say, what goes around comes around and when mine comes around I'll have hell to pay!!
But at any rate, I'm prolly not the only one running around with some crazy piercings, brands, tattoos.... and to be honest, I really really enjoyed getting them, even the pain that lingered afterwards.
Anybody else share the sentiment? does that make me a self injurer...? just confused right now
I'm off the booze and moving on to bigger better things, but they are legal because I have a prescription, now I'm more confused than ever.

[HALLIEBETH87]

i have 5 tattoos (get new ink in june) and 11 piercings......

itcounts for me sometimes....b/c at times i only get them for the calming effect i get.

[x_BabyG_x]

Hey Frank
I have read alot of stuff about self injury, and it has mentioned alot that getting tattoos and peircings are not generally a form of SI.

But that depends on the person I think... do you feel like it is? What makes you get them?

babyg xXx

[bchlyn]

i think it depends on your reasons... if you do it as a way of escaping ... and if you use the pain not to deal then maybe... i find that things that really have little connection with others... for me would be considered si... an example is a way i can get myself grounded is to walk barefoot on different textures... my t pointed out that sometimes what "feels" grounded is in reality disassociation... hot showers too...stay safe lyn

[FarmerFrank]

I visited the tat shop today just browsing.... it calms me to think about what I could do....

[ziggy1]

Hey Frank...I have 3 tatoos...think of them as art I guess. Sometimes I wished i've never had them put on though, but
never thought of it as self-injury though???

My dad had the entire head of christ Tattoed on his back when he
was in the Korean war.....why I don't know??? Never asked him
but always wondered.....All I know is it took 2 weeks to do and
cost $250.00 back in l953...

[Parker1013]

I have lots of piercings and tattoos, and I see them as a completely separate thing from my SI. For me, my artwork has been a way for me to regain a sense of ownership of my body, and so has been a positive influence.

Piercings and tattoos are not a form of SI; however, all are forms of self expression. SI is a form of self expression in the sense of emotions that are not coming out in less destructive ways and piercings and tattoos are a form of self expression in more of an artistic/personality sense.