Are there people struggling with the desire to be pierced or tattooed. If so how do people deal with this struggle? 

Yes and there's no option if you want to be a frum Jew.

I assume you mean under normal circumstances and not in a situation where suicide is the other option on the table 

So how do you deal with it?

I hope your being sarcastic. But as an artist who mostly draws tattoo style, and someone who would love to get a full back, chest, both arms and maybe something small on the neck, i know how you feel. Ive even spent some time planning out what i would theoretically get.
but if you get ininto your head thisthat the option is not on the table, it makes it less of a fight. And there's no half way in this.
personally i channeled my desire for tattoo into drawing on my guitar tattoo style, but im not sure what you could do

I was not being sarcastic as I was in that situation and did in fact get pierced and my struggle now is I want more of them always have and while I’m aware that it doesn’t line up with frum values it doesn’t change my desire for them

That's rough. I feel for you. My only suggestion is to maybe find some other ‘outlet‘ to focus on.

if you can work on your relationship with hashem and your desire to please him, eventually the desire to do something that does not please him should fade.

Also, if you can work on figuring out what the desire stems from you may be able to redirect some of those feelings.

best wishes for success
vehkam

I know exactly where it’s coming from, however changing where it’s coming from is like asking me to be you. With that said I don’t believe I’m in any danger at this time of voluntarily going to be pierced and I have taken steps to insure that I should hopefully never be in the situation that if I don’t do it then I’ll do something even worse. 

foolie wrote on 18 Oct 2023 16:44:

I am amazed by how easily you understand that this a part of you and giving it up would be like transforming into a totally new person. I want you to know that it is possible although it is painful and not easy, if you want to be free of this desire completely it can happen if you put in the effort. It really depends how strong the desires are. If you feel like it's not worth the effort I understand and there are other avenues to try to mitigate it.

if I asked you to change your sexuality would you? Could you?

in my personal experience a lot of my sexual desires and fantasies that  I thought were a part of me have gone away when I quit  p and m, sometimes you discover that things that you thought were a part of you actually aren't when you shift your paradigm

I agree with you. Paradigm shifts happen when you give up porn and masturbation. However not everything is a function of porn and masturbation 

when i started my journey here there were things that i was "into" that i believed were part of my identity and personality.  I did not believe that i would ever stop having a desire for them even if i somehow became strong and held back from indulging.  With time and effort put in to live the life that i truly want almost all of those desires have faded.  If you already have determined that this is not possible in your case i apologize for not understanding your question properly.  

While I don't really understand your struggle since I've never been there, I do understand that you're in a lot of pain.
Sending you a hug and prayers for your success!

redfaced wrote on 18 Oct 2023 19:30:

My friend Redfaced, you said it so well. Foolie, I have never either had this nisayoin, but know that we care about you. And we are here for you