Everyone has their struggles. Everyone has ups and downs. It’s true when people say that we only know the value of health when we get sick.
The struggles that people with mental illnesses face are rarely acknowledged simply because healthy people aren’t aware of how complex those problems are.
So, not only do mental health tattoos keep you aware of how a great fighter you are, but they also contribute to raising awareness about mental health.
If you’re someone who truly knows the value of mental health and is ready to embrace your feelings, here is a list of the best motivational mental health tattoo ideas!
7 Semicolon Mental Health Tattoo Ideas
Body art is an excellent tool to express your individuality and spread awareness about different things. Today’s topic is all about mental health tattoo ideas.
Let’s start with the semicolon tattoo design, which is a symbol of mental health awareness.
1. Simple butterfly
The good old semicolon tattoo. Some might say it’s not unique and that plenty of other tattoos look better. However, the semicolon is valuable in symbolizing the continuation of mental health awareness.
This is a cute and simple tattoo for all my girls with mental health struggles. Boys, don’t worry; there will be a semicolon tattoo for you!
On top of that, it’s a very simple tattoo design, so any tattoo artist will be able to do it.
Instagram deboratatuadora
2. Continue
As promised, here is a convenient semicolon tattoo for the boys. This bold, somewhat ancient font gives off a vibe that you’ll never quit and always keep going!
As you should!
Instagram ewetattoo
3. You are stronger than you think
Another semicolon tattoo, but this time a little more colorful. Rainbow colors usually represent hope and a sign of a better tomorrow.
Also, they are used as a symbol of LGBTQ pride and the LGBTQ social movement. So this is a mental health awareness tattoo and a tattoo to raise awareness about LGBTQ issues.
Instagram narinetattoo
4. Don’t look back tattoo
The monarch butterfly is a sign of hope and new beginnings. Combining monarch butterflies and this encouraging quote raises mental health awareness!
If you look at the picture carefully, you can spot a small, subtle semicolon that makes up the butterfly’s body.
It sends a huge message as monarch butterflies represent hope, and the semicolon serves as a message of support for those who have struggled with depression, addiction, suicide, and other mental health issues.
Instagram lorentattoos
Related: 150 Inspirational Butterfly Quotes To Explore & Share
5. Read between the lines quote tattoo
Another powerful tattoo idea. It calls on everyone to pay attention to the warning signs of suicide among friends, family, and coworkers.
Also, you can spot a little elephant. The role of the mental health elephant is to spread mental health awareness and encourage practical coping skills.
Additionally, the text ‘’read between the lines’’ is put between self-harm scars, which also sends a huge message for everyone to pay attention to the subtle signs of mental illness.
Instagram craigomaggio
6. Monarch butterfly
Again, a butterfly tattoo. However, now in a more colorful version. The body of the orange butterfly serves as a perfect place to put the semicolon.
A fun fact: Project Semicolon, a non-profit organization devoted to suicide prevention, served as inspiration for the design of semicolon tattoos.
When a writer decides not to complete a sentence, they employ a semicolon, and semicolon tattoos are used to remind people that their stories aren’t over. It doesn’t only stand for mental health awareness but anxiety as well.
So it serves as a good design for an anxiety tattoo as well.
Instagrammoonagefee
7. Flower tattoo
The combination of flowers and butterflies sends a huge message. Flowers are said to improve mental health and positively impact your well-being.
Instagram letsbefrank_tattoo
Related: 85 Best Flower Love Quotes And Captions
9 Mental Illness Tattoo Ideas
Mental illness is something that needs to be acknowledged more. That’s why we prepared nine meaningful tattoos regarding this topic!
1. Little girl with fuzzy head and legs
This tattoo spreads awareness about mental health issues. The fuzzy head and legs symbolize confusion and cluelessness about where to go and what’s next.
Instagram ju.laika
2. Things have to fall apart to fall into place
You must realize that the plans of the Universe are far more advanced than yours. As a result, you may think that many circumstances are working against you.
Don’t be disappointed; those things were probably not right for you. However, those waiting for you might be better.
The only reason good things frequently fail is that there are usually better things waiting for you. You must realize that your life is not over; it has just begun.
If you want to remind yourself and others daily that better things are ahead and that there is wisdom in every decision of the Universe, this quote tattoo is the best option!
Instagram sara_scribbles_
3. We are so much more than our scars
Whoever needs to hear this: your scars don’t define who you are, and your mental health disorder doesn’t determine your personality. Everybody has weaknesses and moments where we want to quit.
Sometimes the things you’re hoping for come at unexpected times!
Scars are there just to remind you how tough it was but how you still managed to deal with it and serve as a reminder to everyone that self-harm won’t get you anywhere.
Instagram voodooinktattoos
4. Health written on a brain tattoo
The word ‘’health’’ written in uppercase letters sends a special message about the importance of mental health.
Although it is a very simple and small tattoo, it has a deep meaning.
Instagram tattoosforyourenemies
5. Unstable
This is also a meaningful tattoo. By looking at it, you can conclude that it’s associated with some kind of mental disorder.
A perfect example would be borderline personality disorder or any other disorder in which your moods change quickly from one extreme to another.
Instagram mocluelesstattoo
6. Handle the brain with care
This tattoo is a constant reminder that both you and the people around you should go easy on you.
A brain in a jar can also symbolize that your brain is now finally protected from external factors, meaning that you aren’t coping with anxiety and don’t care about people’s opinions.
Instagram definedlinesstudio
7. No rain, no flowers quote tattoo
No rain, no flowers indicates that sometimes something positive will come out of struggle, pain, or obstacles.
Even if the rain isn’t always a good thing, flowers benefit from it and bloom as a result.
They accept the rain for what it is and thrive as a result.
Whether spiritual, physical, or emotional, growth is challenging in either case.
And that is the main idea behind this metaphor!
Instagram kerstinjdurkee
8. Girl wearing a mask tattoo
If you are still on your mental health journey or have had mental health issues in the past, this girl with a mask is an excellent idea for a first tattoo.
You are aware that pretending to be happy won’t make you feel better, but you are still trying to fake it because you’re tired of explaining to people what’s wrong with you when they clearly don’t understand.
This depression tattoo sends a huge message and is one of the greatest mental health tattoo ideas.
Instagram delicatesquash
9. I’m broken
This is a simple but meaningful tattoo. Like the one above, it represents the struggles of people with mental health issues. Pretending to be okay can sometimes make things harder.
And this is what the skeleton represents: you are fighting with your emotions and trying to convince everyone you are okay, but you are already dead on the inside.
Instagram krowtattoos
3 Serotonin Tattoo Ideas
A neurotransmitter called serotonin is frequently considered a mood stabilizer.
Research has connected the lack of serotonin to depression, but serotonin deficiencies can also cause anxiety and other mental health issues.
As you can see, serotonin plays an enormous role in developing anxiety and depression. A serotonin tattoo will remind you that it’s not your fault for your chemical imbalance and that you deserve to be happy!
1. Smiley serotonin
The smiley serotonin is a great tattoo design if you want a cute, simple, and meaningful tattoo.
It promotes mental health wellness and sends a message that some things aren’t up to you – chemical imbalance and the lack of this cute little molecule of serotonin are what often make you feel unhappy.
Instagram alanarosetattoos
2. Wanted: serotonin
This tattoo is a giant metaphor, and it also depicts how serotonin is responsible for your happiness and that you’ll finally be happy once this molecule is present.
Instagram kerrie.emtattoo
3. Serotonin and nature
Serotonin can be restored by connecting with nature. Nature hugely impacts the human mind, so a combination of nature and serotonin might finally make you happy!
Instagram dolores_b_tattoo
16 Anxiety Tattoo Ideas
Particularly in the past few years, many people have been looking for anxiety tattoo designs to use as daily reminders to promote mental health awareness.
1. Symbol of anxiety and depression
This is also another symbol of anxiety and depression and is perfect if you want to raise awareness of them both.
Instagram margaret_irene_tattoos
2. Mind trapped in a cage
Anxiety can make you feel trapped, and it’s hard to get out when you get into that cage. This tattoo design is for everyone who’s ended their struggles with anxiety – this is exactly what the open cage and butterflies around it symbolize!
Instagram gabrielepalma_
3. Fear and anxiety as a person
Anxiety doesn’t just make you feel trapped; anxiety is sometimes like a terrible creature behind you that whispers awful things.
This tattoo is for everyone who has struggled with this!
Instagram ju.laika
4. Trapped in a box
Anxiety makes someone feel like their mind is trapped, but for some people, it causes the feeling like your whole body is inside a tight box.
This box full of anxiety doesn’t allow you to experience any positive emotions as you have the constant fear that it will squeeze you and leave you without breath.
Instagram caramba.tattoo
5. Young boy with an altered head
Anxiety does a lot of things to us, sometimes things that we aren’t even aware of.
This tattoo symbolizes a little boy, past you, who was lost, not knowing what anxiety is.
Instagram ju.laika
6. Anxiety and smile
One of the characteristics of anxiety is that it kills happiness, which is precisely what this anxiety tattoo symbolizes.
Instagram bugpin_beck
7. Brain and knife
When you have anxiety, you just can’t stop thinking. There are constant thoughts about everything that might go wrong. Sometimes those thoughts hurt just like this knife in the brain.
Instagram tattoosbymeri
8. They’re all laughing at you
Social anxiety is one of the most common types of anxiety disorder. If you’re a survivor of this disorder or are currently suffering from it, you probably know what I’m talking about.
Your worries start days and weeks before a social event. You are afraid that everyone will judge you and laugh at you and your actions.
Those anxious thoughts in your head tell you, ‘’They are all laughing at you,’’ and you can’t stop thinking about it.
If you find yourself in this sentence, this tattoo design is ideal. Not only will you raise awareness about social phobia, but this tattoo will serve as a gentle reminder that you’re struggling with social anxiety disorder, which will signal everyone to have a better approach.
Instagram liveage_trebic
9. The brain is a ball of wool
The brain can become a mess once anxiety enters your head, becoming a ball of wool you can’t untangle.
Instagram inkedby.mia
10. Parties make me anxious
If you are tired of your friends constantly inviting you out to parties because they make you anxious but are also a fan of BoJack Horseman, this is the perfect time to get a new tattoo!
Instagram super_spanko
11. Find calm in the chaos
Sometimes, it’s just important to embrace your feelings! Don’t run from them; hug them tightly, and you will find calm in the chaos – this is the message of this tattoo design!
Instagram jordytattoos
12. Green ribbon wrist tattoo
The global symbol for mental health awareness is the green ribbon. This is a great option if you love simple, small, color tattoo designs!
Instagram macs.ink
13. Flying into florals
Flying into florals symbolizes finally being free from the anxious cage you were in. You are finally moving forward without anxiety as a big burden.
Instagram enlight.ink
14. Breathe
Anxiety doesn’t just go away; it requires a lot of effort to become anxiety-free. However, sometimes you’ll calm the anxiety just by breathing.
A ‘’breathe’’ tattoo will be a reminder during an anxiety attack that breathing will calm you down!
Instagram leahnessaharper
15. Suffocation
All the overthinking and racing thoughts lead to the formation of a layer of emotions in which you are suffocating.
Instagram brian_russell
16. Why is no one else panicking?
If you have anxiety, you must have often found yourself in a situation where you panicked but looked around and saw that no one else was panicking.
I am sure that this made you panic even more!
Instagram jankydoodlez
10 Self-Love Tattoo Ideas
Loving others can sometimes be much simpler because we only perceive their finest qualities.
It might be challenging to love yourself when you are the only person who knows the real you, with all the flaws that others can’t see.
That’s why it’s essential to constantly remind yourself that you should love yourself no matter what and that you’re always trying your best!
1. Trying my best
Remember: you are trying your best! Everything will be okay. Allow yourself a little break!
Instagram studiomilaa
2. Watering my flower head
Self-love is like a nourishment for your mental growth. Always include it in your diet!
Instagram liah_tattoo
3. It’s okay
Just take a deep breath and relax. In the end, everything will be okay.
Instagram studiomilaa
4. In a world of my own
Dealing with mental health issues will lead to a dark and lonely world. Self-love, on the contrary, will make another world that will serve as a shelter from your mental health problems.
This world is shiny and full of flowers!
Instagram pauletteceyrat
5. I am proud of myself
You should always feel proud of your achievements, even the small ones, and there is no better way to remind yourself of this than to get a cute, colorful tattoo!
Instagram witaminat
6. Self-love juice
When you feel anxious and down, just take a sip of self-love juice, and you will be okay!
Instagram damitz.ink
7. The girl in the mirror
Look at the girl in the mirror; this girl needs love and care. Help her by loving her!
Instagram poulby_tattoo
8. Watering your brain
This is another healing and growth tattoo. This tattoo is ideal for anyone who likes minimalistic and simple tattoos.
Instagram cosmofx_angie
9. I am enough
You are brave enough, strong enough, pretty enough, talented enough. You are enough!
Instagram delicataink
10. More than enough
No, you aren’t just enough. You are more than enough. This tattoo may be just what you’re looking for if you love beautiful small quotes!
Instagram cosmofx_angie
8 Overthinking Tattoo Ideas
Overthinking isn’t a mental illness. However, it is a common symptom of many mental health disorders, so we must include it in these mental health tattoo ideas.
1. Hearth and brain tattoo
Overthinking might kill your happiness, and this tattoo is precisely about this! The heart says one thing, but you cannot listen to it as the brain constantly overthinks.
Instagram eremotattoostudio
2. Astronaut with a flying head
This astronaut tattoo symbolizes how overthinking can take you far away, even into space. On the other hand, the separated head represents the disconnection between your thoughts and feelings.
Instagram junebug.ink
3. Heavy head full of thoughts
Overthinking is, in most cases, just a bunch of thoughts that can be a great burden for a person.
If you are that person, here is a tattoo you might like!
Instagram _winkt
4. Overthinking heads
Some people overthink so much that they think enough for not just one person but three! This is another tattoo for those who love simple but meaningful tattoos.
Instagram wilku_tattoo
5. Brain in a light bulb
A good thought leads to a good idea, and the good idea turns on the light bulb. But what happens to the light bulb if you have several ideas at once? What happens when you overthink?
Well… the light bulb will break. This is the meaning behind this tattoo design.
Instagram jaaytatts
6. Head, symbols, and universe
Again, overthinking can take us far away, even galaxies away. There are many thoughts, but what about their quality?
While overthinking, thoughts are unfinished and poor in quality, without any clear resolution. This is what the unknown symbols represent.
If you are a fan of big tattoos, this one is for you!
Instagram hossam.tattoos
7. Messy head
People struggling with depression and anxiety know what it means to overthink. This constant mess of thoughts does not allow you to sleep at night or to live during the day.
Instagram _winkt
8. Unfinished thoughts
If you are a mess of unfinished thoughts, this tattoo is exactly for you! It’s in our nature to seek a conclusion, but if this doesn’t happen, it can only worsen things.
Instagram tttypoholic
6 Self-care Tattoo Ideas
We all know that self-care is an important part of the healing process and mental health journey, whether you are struggling with anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, or any other mental illness.
That’s why we’ve prepared a few tattoo designs regarding self-care!
1. Self-care and barbed wire fence
This self-care tattoo depicts how you should protect your self-care habit.
Make a barbed wire fence around your self-care, and don’t let anyone ruin it, as only you know how hard the struggle through your mental health journey was.
Instagram allycatttttt
2. Self-care tattoo
This is a perfect example of a simple tattoo and is a tattoo that raises awareness about self-care.
Instagram chocorellla
3. Hugging arms
It is a very cute tatto and my favorite. The hugging arms depict how you should always take care of yourself and that you are your own best friend.
Instagram miszelink
4. Self-care heart
The self-care heart tattoo is simple and cute and depicts the love for caring about yourself.
You can see the heart smiling, which symbolizes how happy and healthy your heart will be once you start caring about yourself.
Instagram ashcarsontattoo
5. Take care of yourself
Watering yourself means taking care of yourself. The more you water yourself, the more you’ll grow!
Instagram georgilouisetattoos
6. Lotus flower
This lotus tattoo will be perfect for you if you are a fan of flowers. The lotus flower symbolizes cleansing the mind, body, and speech and awakening and letting go.
So, if you finally let it go – it’s time to get this tattoo!
Instagram billy.oliveira36
4 Body Positivity Tattoo Ideas
Body dysmorphic disorder is a severe mental health condition that shouldn’t be ignored. Being too occupied with your outer appearance can cause not only mental health problems but physical problems too.
You should love your body no matter its size, shape, color, or ability, and body art is one way of raising awareness of such things.
1. All bodies are beautiful
The beauty of life is in its diversity, and the type of connection we have with our bodies matters a lot.
A person with a positive body image is intrinsically more confident and enjoys their body. If you’re one of these people, it’s time for a new tattoo, don’t you think?
Instagram _winkt
2. All bodies are different
If you are a fan of big tattoos and body positivity, here is your sign to get a new tattoo!
As you can see, plants are growing from each body. This symbolizes that every body type is great just the way it is! It’s your mindset that’s responsible for your growth, not what body type you have.
Instagram phoebes_jeebies
3. My existence isn’t about how attractive you find me
With the help of social media, society has created a general attractive appearance, and everything that doesn’t fall into this category is categorized as unattractive.
But thankfully, body positivity teaches us that our experience isn’t about how attractive someone finds us! This tattoo is for everyone who promotes this mindset!
Instagram candyladytattoo
4. I thrive in my body
Once you accept your body and learn how to love it properly, you’ll start to thrive!
Instagram elliebee.tats
To Sum Up
Raising mental health awareness becomes more and more important every day, and what better way to do so than by getting an inspirational tattoo?
By getting one of these tattoos, you’re sending a message that anxiety and self-doubt are nothing that can’t be conquered!
I hope these mental health tattoo ideas will help you to decide what design suits you best! Also, a temporary tattoo is a fantastic alternative if you are scared to get a permanent one for whatever reason.
If you still have mental health issues, remember that self-care, talking to your loved ones, and realistic goals are crucial in mental health recovery.
You aren’t alone; there are people who love you, have gone through the same thing as you, and survived. Everything wil
Everyone has their struggles. Everyone has ups and downs. It’s true when people say that we only know the value of health when we get sick.
The struggles that people with mental illnesses face are rarely acknowledged simply because healthy people aren’t aware of how complex those problems are.
So, not only do mental health tattoos keep you aware of how a great fighter you are, but they also contribute to raising awareness about mental health.
If you’re someone who truly knows the value of mental health and is ready to embrace your feelings, here is a list of the best motivational mental health tattoo ideas!