I’m fine/ Save me : The tattoo that shows two sides of mental health

Tattoos are interesting. They are both deeply personal and profoundly public.

It’s not surprising that for many people, they make a strong statement about our priorities and wellbeing.

Some people go for a motto for life. Think “carpe diem” and “memento mori”. Some choose the name of a loved one, or an image of something meaningful. For many people the message to the rest of the world and the private meaning are slightly different. A butterfly can be a pretty picture, but also a symbol of recovery.

But one girl has used text to take this double meaning to a new level.  Her tattoo, when viewed from an observer’s point of view reads “I’m fine”. But when viewed upside-down, from her own perspective, the message reads “save me”.

That’s a divide that many of us are familiar with- and that our community correspondent Emma summed up brilliantly in a comic strip a couple of months back.

We love that this girl used her tattoo as a way of “coming out” about her mental health problems by posting it to facebook. Sometimes, just having a way to start the conversation can make all the difference.

What about you? Is your tattoo related to your mental wellbeing? Does it mean the same to you as it will to people who see it?