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megan15:

theybuildbuildings:

vintagegal:

Girls pose by a jail that recalls the witch trials of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. Photo taken in 1945.

I recently learned that the water in Salem was contaminated with the fungus from which LSD is derived and a legitimate theory for the whole thing is that everyone in the town was tripping balls 

This might be the greatest thing ive ever seen on the internet

We did a whole massive thing on this in history. I believe the fungus in question is called Ergot and it’s terrifying. It makes your muscles spasm so when they had seizures that was the reason, not because they were possessed. One woman had to be strapped to her bed, she was seizing so bad. And, like ‘theybuildbuildings’ said, it had the same effects as LSD; as soon as you touch it, let alone consume it, it messes with your entire system. The worst thing is, you practically always had a bad trip. Many complained about bugs crawling under their skin or monsters emerging from the shadows to scratch and bite at them until they were screaming. It was a horrendous thing and the worst part is, Ergot is still around. It grows on crops and, if your wheat isn’t properly treated, it can be eaten and you’ll most likely experience the same as the women of Salem. 

god i love history

Except that:

• Ergotism was well known by the time of the trials, the symptoms probably would have been identified. It was considered a terrifying disease for over a thousand years, known as “holy fire” or “St. Andrew’s Fire”. The most telling sign of ergotism, gangrene, wasn’t even present. It is uncommon for ergotism to be marked solely by convulsions.
• Ergotism didn’t poison the water supply. If it had been a threat to the town it would have been through consumption of rye.
• You’re underestimating the importance of William Griggs, the town doctor who diagnosed the so-called witchcraft. It wasn’t until after he diagnosed Betty that the accusations and claims from the girls started.
• The girls were described as “hale and hearthy” outside of court. Ergotism wasn’t called “the holy fire” because it was mild. It was awful, with rates of fatality between 10-40%. Little was mentioned of vomiting, gastrointestinal issues, skin color change, chills, headaches…. The basic symptoms.

To disregard the unbelievable affect of class and gender on the Puritans is shocking. A wild fungus may seem more interesting, but it disregards prejudice, religion bases psychosis, misogyny, and hate for outsiders that permeated Salem. 

Everyone accused was a social pariah. The only exceptions to this are the people who questioned the trials. This is not by accident. Sarah Good was a beggar, Giles Corey was generally distrusted and had previously been accused of murder, Tituba was a Native American (perhaps black? her race has been in debate for over 150 years) woman who spoke of omens and magic, Martha Carrier had been accused of witchcraft only two years prior and had inherited wealth despite patriarchal norms, Sarah Osbourne was challenging property laws and social norms, Margaret Scott was a poor widow who had been disliked for as long as 20 years, and so on and so on. They struck out against people their families were suspicious of.

These little girls were under tremendous stress. They could celebrate no holidays, express no strong emotions, no dancing or music, no toys, suffered rampant abuse espoused as discipline, and lived under the constant overwhelming fear of Hell. The older generation at that time was bemoaning the youths’ lack of piety and dedication to Christ. In other words, the girls were miserable and well aware that according to their parents only Hell awaited their misbehavior. They were trying to survive in an adult world not meant, or willing to, support the needs of children. To display anger, fear, or sorrow was a personal weakness. But to do so when coerced by the devil was perfectly acceptable. So they acted out, became hysterical. And claimed the devil was behind it all.

That may not be as exciting as the, “but they ate this spore, right? and it was like a bad trip on LSD!” but it’s almost certainly correct. 

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youneedacat:

thistleburr:

Ditty, our ship cat, looking magnificent and nautical.

Oh wow!

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Do You Love Someone With Depression?

If you have a partner or are close to someone who struggles with depression, you may not always know how to show them you love them. One day they may seem fine, and the next they are sad, distant and may push you away. It is important that you know that as a person who is close to them and trusted by them, you can help your friend or partner have shorter, less severe bouts of depression. Mental illness is as real as physical illness (it is physical actually, read more about that here) and your partner needs you as much as they would need to be cared for if they had the flu.

Your relationship may seem one-sided during these times, but by helping your partner through a very difficult and painful affliction, you are strengthening your relationship and their mental health in the long term.

1. Help them keep clutter at bay.

When a person begins spiraling into depression, they may feel like they are slowing down while the world around them speeds up. The mail may end up in stacks, dishes can pile up in the sink, laundry may go undone as the depressed person begins to feel more and more overwhelmed by their daily routine and unable to keep up. By giving your partner some extra help sorting mail, washing dishes or using paper plates and keeping chaos in check in general, you’ll be giving them (and yourself) the gift of a calm  environment. (I’m a fan of the minimalist movement because of this, you can read more about that here.)

2. Fix them a healthy meal.

Your partner may do one of two things when they are in a depressed state. They may eat very little, or they may overeat. In either case, they may find that driving through a fast food restaurant or ordering a pizza online is just easier than fixing a meal. Eating like this, or neglecting to eat will only degrade your partner’s health, causing them to go deeper into their depression. Help your loved one keep their body healthy, and their mind will follow. This is a great article that talks about the “Brain Diet” which can help the symptoms of depression, and this article talks about how our modern diet could contribute to the recent rise in depression. Here is a recipe for a trail mix that is quick to make and has mood-boosting properties.

3.Get them outside.

 The benefits of getting outside for a depressed person are huge. And it is possibly the last thing on earth your partner will want to do. Take them to be somewhere in nature. Pack a picnic and lie in the sun, take a leisurely hike or plant a garden. Being barefoot in the dirt, or “earthing” helps ground the body and reverse the effects of living in a world of emf’s, and digging in soil can actually act as an antidepressant, as a strain of bacterium in soil, Mycobacterium vaccae, triggers the release of seratonin, which in turn elevates mood and decreases anxiety. Sunshine increases Vitamin D production which can help alleviate depression. My friend Elizabeth wrote an excellent post about Vitamin D and its link to depression here.  For more information about other sources of Vitamin D, this is a great post as well as this.

4. Ask them to help you understand what they’re feeling.

If your partner is able to articulate what they are going through, it will help them and you better understand what you are dealing with, and may give insight into a plan of action for helping your partner. Also, feeling alone is common for a depressed person and anything that combats that feeling will help alleviate the severity and length of the depression.

5. Encourage them to focus on self-care.

Depressed people often stop taking care of themselves. Showering, getting haircuts, going to the doctor or dentist, it’s all just too hard, and they don’t deserve to be well taken care of anyway in their minds. This can snowball quickly into greater feelings of worthlessness since “Now I’m such a mess, no one could ever love me”. Help your loved one by being proactive. Tell them “I’m going to do the dishes, why don’t you go enjoy a bubble bath?” can give them the permission they won’t give themselves to do something normal, healthy and self-loving.

6. Hug them.

Studies show that a sincere hug that lasts longer than 20 seconds can release feel-good chemicals in the brain and elevate the mood of the giver and receiver. Depressed people often don’t want to be touched, but a sincere hug with no expectation of anything further can give your partner a lift.

7. Laugh with them.

Telling a silly joke, watching a comedy or seeing a stand up comedian will encourage your partner to laugh in spite of themselves. Laughing releases endorphins and studies show can actually counteract symptoms of depression and anxiety.

8. Reassure them that you can handle their feelings.

Your partner may be feeling worthless, angry and even guilty while they are depressed. They may be afraid that they will end up alone because no one will put up with their episodes forever. Reassure them that you are in the relationship for the long haul and they won’t scare you away because they have an illness.

9. Challenge their destructive thoughts.

A depressed person’s mind can be a never-ending loop of painful, destructive thoughts. “I’m unlovable, I’m a failure, I’m ugly, I’m stupid”. Challenge these untruths with the truth. “You’re not unlovable, I love you. You aren’t a failure, here are all the things you’ve accomplished.”

10.Remind them why you love them.

Look at pictures of happy times you’ve had together. Tell them your favorite things about them. Reminisce about your relationship and all the positive things that have happened, and remind your partner that you love them and they will get through this.

(via The Darling Bakers)

More people need to know this.

This is so incredibly important. I’ve seen people with depression ostracized so many times, and I cannot stress how much it means to each and every person I’ve tried to reach out to after whatever “falling-outs” they’ve had due to depression. Remember to always be compassionate and kind to all friends like this, because you never know what they’re going through.

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