Tattoo
A woman has a tattoo applied. Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves, but others are wearing their struggles on their skin.

Semicolon tattoos have become a trend -- one promoted by Project Semicolon, a faith-based nonprofit movement looking to help those struggling with depression. Project Semicolon was started by Amy Bleuel, who lost her father to suicide when she was 18.

Why a semicolon?

"A semicolon is used when an author could've chosen to end their sentence but chose not to," the project's site says.

The project started two years ago. It really took off when Heather Parrie blogged about her reasons for getting a semicolon tattoo.

Parrie wrote:

I got this tattoo as a promise to myself that I would never willingly end my sentence. I got it as a reminder to take this summer as a pause, and then to keep going strong next year. I also got this this tattoo to open up conversations between myself and other humans about mental illness, because as difficult as mental illness is, what’s more difficult is feeling stigmatized. Or like you failed. Or like people are feeling sorry for you.

Other bloggers have posted their journeys with the organization. Stories include people dealing with postpartum depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety and self-esteem issues. The semicolon has been picked up by various media sites, including the Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, MTV and Stuff.

Meanwhile, fans from around the world have been posting photos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Nearly one in four adults experience mental illness in any given year, and approximately 13.6 million Americans live with serious mental issues, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The beauty and strength in these tattoos is amazing; they are definitively raising awareness about those struggling with depression.

If you or someone in your life is struggling with depression or considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.