According to WHO report on an average one person commits suicide every 40 seconds somewhere in the world and 1.8% of worlds death are suicide. Further 75% of suicide occur in low and middle income countries.

As per the government report in India on an average over 100000 people commit suicide and the number of suicide in past decade has recorded increase of 21.6 %. Suicide estimate by WHO suggest that the fatalities due to suicide could rise to 1.5 million by 2020. However, Suicide is largely preventable public health problem. Here an attempt is made by Amy Bleuel to prevent suicide , whose father committed suicide when Amy was 18 years old.

Tattoos have always been a mode of self-expression and gratification of one’s thoughts, ideals and values. Although at first glance, tattoos look like a symbolic thing or just a body art, they are not just that – for some, their tattoo reflects story of hope, faith, struggle and a sign of a significant phase of life; one has gone through.

Here is one such story of semi colon tattoo.The aim of semicolon tattoo and the ‘Project Semicolon’ is to bring hope, courage and love to those who are struggling with mental and emotional health issues like depression, suicide, addiction and self-injury.

This movement is started by Amy Bleuel, who got a semicolon tattoo in honor of her father, who committed suicide when Amy was 18.

But, you must be wondering – why a semicolon?

As it is described on the website of the Project Semicolon,”A semicolon is used when an author could have chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life. Thus, the meaning behind these semicolon tattoos is a physical representation of personal strength in the face of internal struggle.”

This trend is spreading through social media where those with the semicolon tattoos are uploading the picture of their tattoos and donning it with pride and as a sign of survival and courage. Mental health has always been a taboo in all societies and this trend has just helped in giving people the much needed acceptance and encouragement to embrace their attempt to get over their mental illness and thoughts of self-injury.

The ‘Project Semicolon” website’s blog section curates articles where people have described their own experiences of having overcome thoughts of self harm and mental stress.

The semicolon is for someone who decides to live in present and in enjoying life in moments; for the lady who is going through post-partum depression. The semicolon tattoo is all about finding strength to pause and go on; for someone, semicolon tattoo is all about loving one’s own self first without always being in sacrificing mode.

As Amy Bleuel, Founder and President of semicolon project wrote on her blog, “Through my personal story of struggle with mental illness, self-injury, addiction and suicide I strive to bring hope and love to those who are still struggling. My desire is that everyone knows they are loved and worth it. No longer will feelings of worthlessness hinder life stories from being continued and we will declare that hope is alive.”

Sources:

http://www.aasra.info/articlesandstatistics.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Over-one-lakh-suicides-in-India-every-year-report-says/articleshow/37696861.cms

http://www.suicide.org/suicide-support-groups.html