Happiful August 2020

You know that
amazing mood
boost you get
after an intense
gym session?
The tattooing
process has the
same effect
;
CHEMICAL REACTION
To find out more about the
physiological effects of tattooing,
I spoke to Doctify-rated
psychotherapist Mark Bailey
— who has tattoos of his own —
and he talked me through the
associated brain chemistry.
It all starts with the anticipation
phase, when your brain
experiences a rush of adrenaline
and dopamine. This can feel
exciting and a bit scary, similar to
riding a rollercoaster or going on a
first date. Once the needle touches
your skin, you produce adrenaline.
“This can then help mask some
of the pain,” says Mark, “although
from experience it doesn’t always
feel like any pain is being masked!”
Then come the endorphins.
You know that amazing mood
boost you get after an intense gym
session? The tattooing process has
the same effect. These feel-good
chemicals reduce your perception
of the pain in the same way as
drugs like morphine or codeine.
You’ll also feel a ‘natural high’
according to Mark. There is even
research to suggest that getting
multiple tattoos may affect your
long-term ability to cope with
stress, and improve your immune
system by reducing the release of
cortisol.
With this potent mixture of
adrenaline, dopamine, and
endorphins taking hold, it’s easy
to see why some people insist on
going back for more. But what
about the agony of getting inked?
Is experiencing the pain of a tattoo
therapeutic in some way?
PUSHING THROUGH THE PAIN
Some people say that living
through the controlled, physical
pain of a tattoo has made them
more mentally resilient. I spoke to
Rosalie Hurr, co-editor of Things
& Ink magazine, who told me that
for her, the pain of a tattoo is a
mixture of emotions.
68 • happiful.com • August 2020