Should You Get a Tattoo in Early Recovery?īefore you go walking into your local tattoo parlor, it’s worth taking some time to weigh the pros and cons of this long-lasting decision. The process of getting a tattoo is, in a way, emblematic of the treatment process – the pain is temporary, but the rewards are everlasting. It is a Tree of Life to represent my new life and my new focus on my emotional and spiritual growth,” says another woman of her ink. These adornments can symbolize not only the darkness of your past, but the brightness of your future: “I got my first recovery tattoo on my 40th birthday. When I first stopped using, I got a ‘First Things First’ bumper sticker for my car, so I guess you could say that was a test run for the tattoo.” I got the tat exactly when I had two years sober. One person describes their decision to get an AA tattoo this way: “I decided to imprint the AA symbol on my index finger because it’s my first finger and I wanted to always remind myself that sobriety was my first priority in life.

And just like sobriety itself, they represent a commitment to something that will last for the rest of your life. They provide a visual cue that might serve as a stronger aide-mémoire than simply carrying what you’ve learned in recovery around in the recesses of your mind. Sobriety tattoos hold different meanings for different people: They can be a symbol of your ability to overcome your troubled past, an ever-present reminder not to slip back into your old ways, or both. Said her hairstylist, César Ramirêz, “Love is accepting someone for who they are and for who they are not!” Each Sobriety Tattoo Has Its Own, Unique Meaning “And I’m sorry for the fans I lost who watched me fall again/ I wanna be a role model, but I’m only human.” Lovato’s team all got the same tattoos as a show of their free, unified spirit. The song grapples with the guilt and disappointment she felt as someone who carries the weight of obligation to both her family and her fans: “Mama, I’m so sorry I’m not sober anymore/ And daddy please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor,” she croons. The openly recovering star got a tattoo of the word “free” on her right pinky finger just four days after she admitted that she had relapsed, which she announced with her new single “Sober”. Singer and mental health advocate Demi Lovato is an example of just that. And for many in recovery from addiction, tattoos related to their sobriety are both celebratory of their new life choices and prudent reminders of their past. But even for those who don’t take it quite that far, tattoos can still be used to epitomize an important person, life event or message. Tattoos are powerful symbols that, for many people, carry great depth of personal meaning – so much so that some tattoo aficionados view their bodies as a canvas on which to display art that they feel represents who they are.

Crack addiction recovery tattoo