When a punctuation mark gives a life lesson

Actor Selena Gomez got herself a semicolon tattoo in 2017. Photo: Special Arrangement Content warning: The following article has references to suicide. Please avoid reading if you feel distressed by the subject.The semicolon, a punctuation mark often used while writing, signifies a pause -- one that is longer than a comma but shorter than a period. It signifies a break and not the end. And sometimes, such a pause might just be what a person needs -- to ensure that the end can stay away, if not forever, at least for the time being. This is what prompted Amy Bleuel to use the punctuation mark as the symbol for the movement that she founded to raise awareness on suicide prevention and mental health.Today, the semicolon tattoo is one of the most recognised symbols of mental health awareness in the world. But how and when did it all begin?Project Semicolon was founded in 2013 by Bleuel, a suicide prevention and mental health advocate, to honour her father, who died by suicide ten years ago. The intention was to create a space for people to talk about mental health openly and without any shame. According to the project’s website, the semicolon became a symbol for the movement as it “is used when an author could’ve ended a sentence but chose not to… the semicolon became a symbol for anyone who could’ve ended their own life but chose to keep going.” The movement caught the attention of people worldwide and so did the semicolon tattoo.People began tattooing the semicolon on their bodies, either as a standalone or by adding it as an element within other hybrid tattoos. These tattoos were used by survivors to honour their personal mental health battles. People have also embraced the tattoo as tributes to their loved ones who had died by suicide, while others don their tattoos as an expression of solidarity to the movement and raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. “For many, it’s a daily reminder to keep fighting, to keep writing, to keep living,” reads a quote on their site.The placement of the tattoo is a matter of choice and people sport them on various parts of their body including on visible locations such as the neck, wrists, etc., while others place it in more intimate areas. The tattoos are not just meant to express but also serve as a means of personal affirmation.The project deals with spreading awareness not just on suicide prevention but also on various other aspects of mental health including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), and various other struggles. “What started as one woman’s act of hope has grown into a global movement — one inked semicolon at a time,” says the project’s website.In 2017, Selena Gomez, Alisha Boe and Tommy Dorfman got the semicolon tattooed on their wrists to commemorate the premiere of their Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. The web series deals with themes of suicide and mental health and it was reported that the stars got the tattoo as a tribute to the show’s handling of the theme as well as the death of Bleuel, a victim of trauma, child abuse and rape.Various regional organisations, projects, campaigns, etc., inspired by the semicolon project have come up in various parts of the world. India has also not shied away from embracing the movement. Semicolon (;) The Mental Health Awareness Project – India is one such initiative.Founded by the Medical Students Association of India (MSAI) under the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), it was designed as a campaign model that could be leveraged by other local chapters. The project aims to create awareness regarding mental health and tackle the stigma associated with the same, among high school students from classes eighth to 10th.If you are in distress, please reach out to national helpline 104 or any of these 24x7 helplines. Published - September 10, 2026 07:04 am IST