SASKATOON – People across Canada have been showing their support with punctuation. “Project semicolon” was born of a social media movement offering hope to those struggling with depression and addiction.
“Mostly within the last six months is where it really picked up … the cause has been out there a lot more,” said Chris Scott, a tattoo artist at Koi Tattoo in Saskatoon.
“A lot of people don’t know about anxiety or the people that do know about it, they don’t think it’s real or they think that you’re just crazy and that’s not the case and a lot of people don’t talk about it,” said Candace Fuller-Quiring, with project semicolon.
READ MORE: Semicolon tattoos in support of mental illness gaining in the Maritimes
The semicolon represents a life choice. That being, you are the author of your own story and you can choose to end the sentence or continue writing.
Those with the tattoo hope it leads to more conservation.
“Everybody is just really quiet about it. I think people need to talk about it more because when you do have anxiety, you feel alone, you feel like nobody can relate to you and nobody knows what you’re going through,” said Fuller-Quiring.
“If more people talk about it, it makes you feel better knowing that other people are going through the same thing that you’re going through.”
Koi Tattoo on 2nd Avenue is doing its part to support mental health awareness. It will donate a portion of the proceeds from all semicolon tattoos this month to the Canadian Mental Health Association.
“It’s a good cause and every person that gets a tattoo is supporting someone that has an illness. If it’s not you with the illness, you might know somebody that has something or suffered from something, so it’s good to support everybody,” said tattoo artist Rod MacDonald.
Over 150 countries around the world designated Oct. 10 as “World Mental Health Day.” This year’s theme is “dignity,” aiming to eliminate the stigma often associated with mental health conditions.
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