There’s a trend among those who struggle with chronic illnesses to tattoo a representation of their battles, kind of like an honor badge acknowledging their daily burdens, but I’ve never really considered hypothyroidism as a battle deserving of symbolic representation. If you aren't familiar with what I'm talking about, the most well-known example is the semicolon tattoo, which symbolizes the decision of people with depression to continue their story instead of ending it. When I was 15 and my depression hit rock bottom, I promised myself I would get it tattooed if my mental health ever improved. Back then, I felt as if I hadn’t earned the meaning it represents because I doubted my ability to fight my mental disorders. I thought of it as cheating—like claiming the prize of a race im yet to run. Now, four years later, I’m in a much better place regarding my mental health, and although I still believe the semicolon carries a beautiful message, I never fully connected with it and no longer want to get one. For some context, I have central hypothyroidism, which has caused numerous health issues. I detest my condition because, despite maintaining healthier habits than most, my disease has left me with a body that feels mediocre at best, and the effort I put into my mental and physical well-being only yields a fraction of what someone with a healthy metabolism would experience. It really is the root of all my struggles. I won’t go into every detail of my medical history, but let me give an example: Imagine a younger me—healthy, with loving, financially stable parents, straight A’s, and friends. One day, I woke up to a brain deprived of crucial chemicals. This essentially led to a life filled with mental disorders. I fought through depression and won, only to realize that what once felt like my biggest battle was just a side effect of hypothyroidism. I don’t often look back on the past; I mainly see my depressed self as a completely different person, a past life that no longer defines me. But your post reminded me of the wish I once had. If I were more sentimental, maybe I’d feel like I owed my younger self that tattoo. I don’t owe anything to that person, and even if I did, I don’t believe any part of me—past or present—would feel deserving of carrying a semicolon. That wish, which I never truly wanted, is long gone. A new desire has taken its place—something I actually feel connected to and would be proud to carry. On my next birthday, I'd like to have a butterfly tattooed somewhere on my body. Feel free to take the credit for it, as it is your post that I'll be explaining when anyone asks if there is a deeper meaning behind my tattoo.