Depression tattoos (9 Ideas)

In this brief blog, we will cover depression tattoos and how depression tattoos may be able to help you get rid of your depression. 

Can tattoos help depression?

“Yes, tattoos may be able to help with depression based on the feelings the tattoo gives you whenever you see it.

Many people will get semicolon tattoos to signify their strength and fight against depression and anxiety.

Including tattoos as a means to make depressive people feel better, there are other ways which help people with depression in expressing themselves.

One such platform is the depression chat room.

Amy Bleuel was the one who introduced tattoos as a way for people to express themselves and as a mean to raise awareness for mental illnesses.

A compilation of depression tattoos

In this brief post, we have compiled a list of depression tattoos which express the way most of us who suffer from depression feel. 

These depression tattoos should encourage you to relate and understand that there are many other people out there who may also suffer from depression and have used depression tattoos to express themselves.

People also use art and or wallpapers of their phones/room walls to express their feelings in depression.

Below each depression tattoo, we will briefly explain what we see.

If you have any depression tattoos you want to add to this list then please send in your suggestions.

Depression tattoo:  In this tattoo, we see how depression can feel like a heart-wrenching pain wrapped inside another agonizing pain which never seems to end..

It is a thoughtful reminder of the gloom dark loop we could all face.  This depression tattoo was created by Sebastian Ebison.

Depression tattoo: In this depression tattoo we see the colours drain out of a young girl who is on her knees.

This signifies the loss of colour and soul so many people face when going through depression.

The author of this depression tattoo isn’t very clear.

In this depression tattoo, we see a skeleton with no flesh or insides.

This indicates the loss of one’s inner self when suffering through depression.

At the same time, we also see the person hugging themselves. This displays the self-care most depression sufferers go through.

The author of this depression tattoo is listed as Huaneli.

Depression tattoo: This depression tattoo shows a man creeping out from the shadow. It depicts what a lot of depression sufferers suffer.

The author of this depression tattoo is unknown.

Depression tattoo: This depression tattoo shows a young girl crying but something or someone, seemingly depression is shutting her lips and preventing her from speaking.

This is a common theme amongst depression sufferers. The author of this depression tattoo is unknown.

depressed girl sketch Luxury Sad depression girl pencil tattoo tattoo Pinterest

Depression tattoo: This depression tattoo shows a sad girl lying down in an all too familiar position that most depression sufferers have likely seen.

The author of this depression tattoo is Shosho.

Depression tattoo: This depression tattoo shows a girl cradled up next to the wall, sad , alone and crying. We all know about this position.

In her case, she is being comforted by her shadow who reaches out and grabs her from the wall.

The author of this depression tattoo is unknown.

Depression tattoo: This depression tattoo shows a man with a head full of clouds.

It depicts a situation most depression sufferers know too well. The author of this depression tattoo is unknown.

Depression tattoo: In this depression tattoo we see a young girl who begins cutting off her har but we don’t see hair on the floor but rather we see petals and flowers.

The author of this depression tattoo is unknown.

Depression tattoo: In this depression tattoo we see a man who has been cut several places and several times.

The author of this depression tattoos is Gemini designs.

Depression tattoo: This depression tattoo is the most graphic out of the collection we have curated. It shows a person cutting themselves.

Depression Tattoo Quotes

Here are some of the best depression tattoo quotes you can use as a tattoo:

“Whenever someone tells me to ‘Just be happy,’ I want to yell, ‘Oh, hey, depression’s gone! Why didn’t I think of that?’ But usually I just roll my eyes instead.” —Anonymous

“It’s so difficult to describe depression to someone who’s never been there, because it’s not sadness. I know sadness. Sadness is to cry and to feel. But it’s that cold absence of feeling—that really hollowed-out feeling.” —J.K. Rowling

This next depression tattoo quote is actually from a song, and it goes something like this:

“Mr. Serotonin, lend me a gram”

Here are some other depression tattoo quotes:

“Sometimes I just think depression’s one way of coping with the world. Like, some people get drunk, some people do drugs, some people get depressed. Because there’s so much stuff out there that you have to do something to deal with it.” —Ned Vizzini, author

“The broken will always be able to love harder than most because once you’ve been in the dark, you learn to appreciate everything that shines.” —Anonymous, Twitter.

“In addition to my other numerous acquaintances, I have one more intimate confidant… My depression is the most faithful mistress I have known—no wonder, then, that I return the love.” —Søren Kierkegaard, philosopher

“Our Generation has had no Great war, no Great Depression. Our war is spiritual. Our depression is our lives.” —Chuck Palahniuk, writer

Depression Tattoo: Semicolon

Depression tattoos of semicolons are meant to represent a victory over depression and suicidal thoughts, and the semicolon is a symbol of a charity called Project Semicolon.

Below are some of the best Depression tattoos of Semicolons.

Depression Tattoo: Semicolon 1

This is a depression tattoo with semicolon with an inspiring quote as well, which makes it even more meaningful than it already is.

Depression Tattoo: Semicolon 2

This semicolon depression tattoo is combined with an arrow, that might represent being on track with your goals and aims, and making sure you live your life in the best way possible.

Depression Tattoo: Semicolon 3

This semicolon depression tattoo also has a quote with it that is meant to tell you that you are in control of your destiny and you can do whatever you want with your life.

Depression Tattoo: Semicolon 4

A very popular symbol for tattoos about depression is the semicolon, and this is because of the charity for individuals suffering from depression or those who have attempted suicide or have suicidal thoughts.

This tattoo about depression is colorful, which is something that can be nice to see when someone is suffering from depression or just coming out of it because the shade typically associated with depression is gray.

Depression Tattoos for Guys

Here are some of the best Depression tattoos for guys.

Depression Tattoos for Guys 1

This depression tattoo for guys also features the common symbol for hope in depression, which is a semicolon, and it also says, “Your Story is Not Over”, which is what the semicolon represents.

Depression Tattoos for Guys 2

This is another depression tattoo for guys that features a semicolon, and it is encapsulated inside a single message of hope, “Fight”.

Depression Tattoos for Guys 3

This depression tattoo for guys combines the semicolon with a religious symbol, which is a cross, and it also makes for a great and inspiring tattoo for someone struggling with depression.

Depression Tattoo Sleeve

Depression tattoo sleeves are great ideas for someone that wants to create a complete collage of their journey and wants to represent it on their body.

Below are some of the best Depression tattoo sleeve ideas.

Depression tattoo sleeve 1

This depression tattoo sleeve is a great representation of the mental turmoil someone with depression goes through and it shows the struggle someone with depression has to overcome to come out the other side.

Depression tattoo sleeve 2

This is another great depression tattoo sleeve, and it shows an eagle fighting with a snake.

This tattoo belongs to a user on a popular forum, who gives the following description for his tattoo:

“My name means ‘the white hawk,’ and the hawk represents excellence and achievement. It’s an angel of the animal community and it soars above all others. The black snake represents the [struggles] of being a black person. Snakes are stereotyped as sinister, evil, untrustworthy, parasitic … and black people have been portrayed this way by racists and, to some degree, by ourselves.

Depression tattoo sleeve 3

This depression tattoo sleeve is the work of the woman featured next to it, who does depression tattoo sleeves to help people cover up their self-harm scars, and her name is Joice Wang of Soho’s Grit N Glory Tattoo Boutique in NYC, who has developed a whole pattern of exquisite, delicate floral tattoos.

She also does a tattoo of self-harm cover-up every month for free in return for a donation to one of the three mental health charities she supports regularly. 

Joice says, “The main thing I hope everyone can take away from this is to turn what hurts you into something beautiful, however, you may interpret that. I also have depression and anxiety and I try to channel that into becoming the best artist I can and to try to make people happy with my humor and charity work.”

Depression Tattoo Symbols

Here are some wonderful depression tattoo symbols to help you mark your victory over this condition and inspire you to continue on.

Depression Tattoo Symbols: 1

This depression tattoo symbol is actually one of mindfulness combined with the symbol for Buddhism, called the Unalome, and the person this belongs to says about it:

“[My tattoo] was inspired by a Buddhist symbol of an Unalome. The spiral represents chaos, the loops, the twists, and the turns [represent] life, [and] all lead to harmony. I live with bipolar disorder and every day is a struggle. I needed a reminder that harmony is possible, to keep fighting.” 

Depression Tattoo Symbols: 2

This is another common depression tattoo symbol, and for those who don’t know, this is the chemical structure of the serotonin molecule, which is a common neurotransmitter that causes depression.

Depression Tattoo Symbols: 3

This depression tattoo symbol features the lines from an EKG which represents heartbeats.

Depression Tattoo Symbols: 4

This depression tattoo symbol is a representation of a wave, which is a spiritual way of saying that life goes on despite trials and tribulations.

Depression Tattoo Symbols: 5

This depression tattoo symbol is that of the sun coming out after rain, which may be seen as a symbol that depression will get over eventually, and there will be happier times.

Depression Tattoos That Represent Pain and Suffering

Here are some depression tattoos that represent pain and suffering.

This depression tattoo represents pain and suffering but also the ability to get over it and survive, and come out the other side.

This Depression Tattoo represents pain and suffering because rain and thunder is often considered to be a sign of depression and sadness.

Semicolon is a common symbol of depression, so this depression tattoo represents pain and suffering and getting over it, because it says “And so I kept living”.

Another tattoo with an Unalome symbol mixed with art, it is another great depression tattoo represents pain and suffering and what someone can do to get better.