People get tattoos for many reasons. Those who have gone under the needle rave about its addictive quality. They say that there are more aspects to the permanency than the ink. The ritual consists of a holistic, spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical experience that remains with the person for their entire life.
Many people describe the experience as "addictive" and use the term to justify continual additions over the course of their life. But how real is tattoo addiction? There's not much evidence to back it up. In fact, dependance is the most poorly rated reason as to why people are motivated to get tattoos, according to Viren Swami, a psychologist and professor at Anglia Ruskin University. Dr. Swami has researched extensively the sociological and psychological aspects behind tattooed people. "We don't know whether it's a real thing or not," he argues. "And most people who study it suggest that it's too early in terms of the research where tattoos specifically are a form of addiction."
Since there hasn't been enough results to conclude the existence of tattoo addiction, why do people feel so inclined to keep getting them? Tattoos are painful, permanent, and often stigmatized by traditional society. The need to fill up a sleeve might be pricey and common, but definitely not due to any sort of addiction.
Dr. Swami believes that the overwhelming urge to dive back under the needle is caused by something as simple as wanting to feel like a unique individual. At the end of the day, your urge to get a tattoo could be nothing more than an aesthetic preference.
That's not the only case considering how vast the objectivity of tattoos can span. Tattoos have been known to represent cultures dating back thousands of years. Tribal tattoos, used to represent certain cultures and social groups, have become appropriated in the modern age. The feeling of being apart of a group, the group being the collection of tattooed people in the world, is also a driving factor for excess tattoos.
But for most people, it's the ritual that keeps them coming back for more. Some people even describe the experience as a "treat yourself"-type gift. Like taking a trip to the spa, it's something to look forward to until the appointment date. And unlike a trip to the spa, the euphoria continues for weeks after the tattooing because of the elegance and personal branding that you put time, thought, and money into. For most, getting a tattoo is an exhilarating experience.
We don't know if tattoo addiction is real. For know, the adrenaline rush is all we need to keep coming back for more.
