Thousands of people across the globe are getting semicolons tattooed on their bodies in a bid to raise awareness about mental health.

The latest online craze is for youngsters to post images of the punctuation mark – whether permanent or temporarily drawn on – and it is all for a good cause.

The marks are being shared to raise awareness for mental health conditions – with the organisers hoping to shed light on issues including depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide.

Project Semicolon said that a semicolon represents “a sentence the author could have ended, but chose not to”. The charity’s website adds: “That author is you and the sentence is your life.

“By writing a semicolon on your wrist, you are making a promise to yourself that it is ok to reach out and seek for help.”

A series of images have appeared on Instagram and Twitter showing users with the unusual daubing, with some opting for temporary biro while others have committed with tattoo ink

The US-based organisation hopes that by persuading people to have semicolon tattoos – permanent or temporary – will help break down the stigma associated with mental illness.

Emma Richards of Llandudno, Wales, got a semicolon tattooed on her little finger this week after reading about the initiative online.

The 30-year-old started suffering with depression after her young son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and autism.

Today, she remains on medication to alleviate the symptoms, which include palpitations and panic attacks.

She told Mirror.co.uk that she read about the Semicolon project and completely related to the message.

With more than 30 tattoos already on her body, she wasn’t worried about getting one more tiny addition. Her husband also showed his support by getting a matching inking.

Amy Bleuel, who co-founded the project, said she did it to honour her father who she lost to suicide.

“I set out to inspire others so they can know they are not alone, that their story matters,” she said.