Tattoos can also be a source of regret, although the damage is typically done to one’s own body or social status. Jablonsky was one of many who reached out to Boettcher following the post, and the two became friends. Jablonsky has interviewed him on his Facebook page, from which he broadcasts live.

The lotus flower is an ancient symbol that dates back thousands of years. It symbolizes rebirth, renewal, and the natural cycle of life. The flower also connects to the idea of resurrection because of its natural behavior. At night, the flower closes, only to reopen at dawn the next day. Many people have lost their families, money, reputation, and eventually their life in this dangerous thing. Some people learn and take lessons from these mistakes, while others still march on this mad parade of addiction.

Best Dog Memorial Tattoo Ideas You’ll Have…

When he posted the photo of his new ribbon tattoo design last summer, it had been seven years since being sent to prison. He now owns his own successful tattoo shop in Merrill, Inked Horizons, where he specializes in a unique watercolor style. He’d been asked by other people in recovery to create some kind of tattoo to symbolize the triumph over addiction. Boettcher himself represents overcoming addiction and achieving something. He started with pot and drinking, and progressed to meth and heroin when he was just 15 years old. Meth was his drug of choice, he says in an interview with City Pages.

• Jamie has over 10 years experience as both a journalist and professional tattooist, working for some of the biggest brands in the UK.
• Check out these sobriety tattoos ideas below submitted by our readers and the sobriety community.
• Many recovering alcoholics go out of the box to get a sobriety tattoo and get a lotus.
• A single word can offer a positive headline to the often difficult journey of addiction recovery.
• Some lines or words specifically become etched on their mind.

An example of these tattoos may include the words “booze-free” with a tally-mark underneath them, signifying the number of months, or even years, that a person has been sober. Progressive tattoos can help people keep track of their progress towards achieving their ultimate goal of permanent sobriety. Of course, it is ultimately up to the individual to decide whether getting a sobriety tattoo is the best idea for them. I have a phoenix on my back (not recovery related, just feel like I’ve been reborn so many times through other issues).

Overlap With Alcohol Use

Furthermore, brief, simple phrases are also ideal for people in recovery. “Fake it until you make it,” for example, is a multifaceted slogan that is often ideal for those in early recovery. “Breathe in, breathe out, move on,” also serves as an inspiration to those who are attempting to move forward from addiction. Because mental health and addiction recovery are so closely intertwined, this makes the semicolon one of the more ambiguous recovery symbols. Thus, it often holds great appeal to those in the recovery community. Find Addiction Rehabs is not a medical provider or treatment facility and does not provide medical advice.

• Thus, it often holds great appeal to those in the recovery community.
• The infinity sign is usually used to symbolize the infinite cycle of recovery, as this is a life-long battle.
• These often represent powerful personal choices made by the person wearing them.
• My tattoos are almost all souvenirs, I got most while travelling, which I tend to do when I need a reboot.

Part of what makes this AA symbol so appealing is that it can be placed in pretty much any area of a person’s body. Becoming tattooed, for many, is perceived as a somewhat spiritual process, a form of personal expression. Again, there are overlaps with drug use sub-cultures in this respect, particularly users of marijuana, ecstasy, and psychedelics. Tattoo addiction is not formally recognized, even as a behavioral addiction. However, some people describe the process of getting more and more tattoos as a kind of addiction. This article explores some of the addictive qualities of becoming tattooed.

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Thus, these sobriety tattooss can be placed in a more discrete area, making them less subject to judgment of others. Of course, those who are less worried about other peoples’ opinions can make this a more visible piece. A treble clef with a cross built in on the back of my arm (music/spirituality play a huge part in my recovery).