HAVE you been left confused by all those photos of semicolon tattoos filling your social media feed?
Here's what it's about:
I've seen a number of influencers shared photos of a semicolon with the hashtag #keepgoing on their social media accounts and people were baffled. Soon after, thousands of netizens followed and supported the hashtag until it became number one top trending in the Philippines.
Yes: the semicolon. It's exactly the same as the tattoo that gained popularity in recent years, but unlike other random or mystifying trends, this one has a deeper meaning behind it. (And no, it's not just the symbol of a really committed grammar nerd.)
This mark actually represents mental health struggles and the importance of suicide prevention.
Project Semicolon was born from a social media movement in 2013, dedicated for presenting hope and love to those who are struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. And apparently, the month of October was dedicated for the World Mental Health Day.
Originally created as a day when people were inspired to draw a semicolon on their wrists and take a picture of it, it quickly evolved into something greater and more permanent like a tattoo.
But why a semicolon of all things?
It's because a semicolon is used when an author could've chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. Symbolically, the author is you and the sentence is your life.
By writing a semicolon, you are making a promise to yourself that it is okay to reach out, seek guidance, continue and help to continue life.
Depression is not uncommon, yet there is a stigma around it that holds back a lot of people from talking about it — and that's a barrier to getting help.
The mark is a conversation starter. Sounds logical, right? I think if you see a tattoo or a posted image that you're interested in, that's fair game to start a conversation with someone.
But at the end of the day it's not just about the conversation — it's about raising awareness and reaching out, beyond the ink and all the images.
It does not really matter how we get there. The end result is so important: help and support for more people to also be able to say "I'm still here."
So for every brave heart who's battling depression, anxiety and self harm, remember that you are not alone. You are worthy. You are loved;
Stay Active until our next chat!
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