MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — A recent study at the Medical College of Wisconsin explores the increased risk of suicide among individuals with tattoos.
Alyson Aldana and her husband Tom own Walker's Point Tattoo, a popular shop in the heart of the neighborhood.
Recently, they participated in a new study through the Medical College of Wisconsin that looks at teaching suicide prevention in tattoo shops.
“It's just a really personal topic, and it just pulled my heartstrings, really. So, it was easy to agree to do it,” said Aldana.
Dr. Sara Kohlbeck led the project, which she says comes from a personal place.
“I spent many hours in the tattoo chair, and I found that when you're sitting with an artist for a couple of hours, or, a few hours at a time, you start to open up and have conversations about yourself and about your own life,” said Kohlbeck, Director, Division of Suicide Research and Healing, Medical College of Wisconsin.
That inspired her to reach out to tattoo artists across Wisconsin to see what they were experiencing.
“I thought that perhaps this could be an opportunity for folks to maybe have conversations again around mental health and for artists to be able to support people who are struggling,” said Kohlbeck.
Watch: New study explores increased rates of suicide among people with tattoos:
Dr. Kohlbeck says out of the nearly 80 artists who took part in the study, about two-thirds of them said they've had at least one experience where they were concerned about their client's mental health.
“About half of artists actually have had a client disclose suicidal thoughts to them, and then a majority of the artists that we surveyed felt like training for mental health support would be helpful to them in their daily role,” said Kohlbeck.
Since then, Aldana says her team has already started to implement some of the talking points Dr. Kohlbeck has shared with their clients.
"We are just like one big family and everybody is all here to help and be a part of the community. It's like, no question, for them to step in and help," said Aldana.
You can read the full study below:
Journal Community Psychology - 2024 - Kohlbeck - Art on the Skin_Exploring the Role of Tattoo Artists by TMJ4 News on Scribd
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