We’re celebrating our national mammal with this pic of a bison and its baby at Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. Public lands managed by Interior support 17 bison herds – or approximately 10,000 bison – in 12 states, including Alaska.
Check out more interesting facts about bison: http://on.doi.gov/1Oc7VXg
Photo courtesy of Rich Keen, DPRA.
New Yorkers choose to gather under the banner which says “New York”—which is so elastic it really means nothing at all—and that is exactly what I love about this place. The capacity to gather without precise definition I experience as a form of freedom, here where we do not have to be the clerk to the heir of wherever, where we can be unattached to our old European pedigree, or lack of same, and loosened from the bonds of distant villages, with their strictures and demands, their ideas regarding our sexuality or gender, their plans for our future.
You’re reading How to Help a Partner Struggling With Clinical Depression, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
When I first met my wife, I had no idea that she had a history of clinical depression. Of course, she had told me about it before we were married, but I did not really know what that meant. I had not had any previous exposure to serious depression in people. By the time we were dating, she was already on a mix of anti-depressants. At the time, the effects of depression were not immediately obvious to me.
The first time we experienced a major loss together was in the first year of our marriage. It was the first time I really got to see what she was like when dealing with depression, on top of dealing with grief. Within the first couple of months of being married, I got my wife pregnant. It was not exactly a planned pregnancy, but we were ecstatic nonetheless. We started making plans for our first baby, and had fun picking out names, going back and forth tossing around different combinations of names until we could agree on some.
Then, half-way through the second trimester of her pregnancy, my wife had a miscarriage. It was devastating, to say the least. We thought we were in the safe zone, since we had passed the first trimester. We had already told our families about their first grandbaby and had gotten them excited, and now we had to call them and tell them the shocking news. It was more than we could stand.
My wife was still taking college classes at the time, trying to finish her degree. The grief was overwhelming, and she fell into a depression. She could no longer get up to go to class. She dropped out of all her classes half-way through the semester. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep. When she was awake, she was like a zombie, and would break out in tears intermittently throughout the day.
We have been married seventeen years now. It has been seventeen years since we lost our first baby. Nothing has come close to that experience since then, but my wife still has her ups and downs. She still struggles with depression. We have been blessed with two beautiful girls since we lost the first one, but we never forget our first baby.
Even through our first loss and my wife’s struggle with depression over the years, I still love my wife and care for her deeply. Over the years, I have learned a lot about clinical depression and how to deal with it. So what do you do when your partner is dealing with serious depression?
When dealing with clinical depression, most of the time, it is not the person’s fault. It is not something they can change on their own. It’s not something they did to bring it on. They can’t just pretend it’s not there, or wish it away. It’s not all just in their head.
After our oldest daughter was born, my wife fell into post-partum depression. This is often caused by the abrupt change in hormones in the body, and is somewhat common after a woman gives birth. This can be one type physiological trigger. There could be environmental factors as well that trigger depression.
Often times, clinical depression is caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. Anti-depressants work by trying to correct those imbalances, making it easier for synapses to connect. In many cases, as in my wife’s case, this kind of chemical imbalance is and can be hereditary. There is a long history of clinical depression going up my wife’s family.
It does no good, then, to place blame on your partner, or get angry at them for not being able to change their mood like you can, or to get out of bed and be productive. If your partner has been diagnosed with clinical depression, then you have to understand that it is not their fault. There is nothing they did to bring it on, and there is nothing they can do to just “snap” out of it.
Clinical depression is a serious illness, and it is not something you can change with herbal supplements or teas, for example. Some of those over-the-counter solutions may help with minor or occasional cases of anxiety, but they should not be relied upon for serious illnesses. The first thing you need to do is see a psychiatrist – not a psychologist or therapist, but a licensed medical doctor.
If your partner has not seen a psychiatrist yet, it may be time to consider taking him or her to one. A psychologist may refer your partner to a psychiatrist, if they suspect there may be a chemical imbalance in the brain that needs to be addressed. Only a psychiatrist can write prescriptions for medicines that can help with the chemical imbalances, and will work with you to find the correct dosage.
When my wife got pregnant with our first-born, it had only been a few months since the miscarriage, and she was still dealing with the subsequent depression. We discussed our options with her psychiatrist, and we decided that the benefits of her not feeling depressed were greater than any risks the medications might pose during the pregnancy. Thus, she went back on antidepressants during her second pregnancy. Our daughter was born strong and healthy. You and your partner must make these kinds of decisions, with your doctor.
One of the symptoms of clinical depression is feeling a complete lack of motivation to do anything. It almost borders on apathy. Part of this lack of motivation applies towards seeking treatment, and taking any prescribed medications. That is why it is important for you to be supportive and take your partner to a psychiatrist, pick up their prescriptions, and help administer the correct dosage every day.
Anti-depressants do not work overnight, and they must usually be taken for extended periods of time, if not for the rest of their lives. There is no short term solution. Counseling and therapy can help you and your partner deal with issues as they arise, but in the long term, the medication prescribed by the psychiatrist must be allowed to work.
These kind of medications are not the kind that can be missed. Since they affect the chemical balance in the brain, even skipping one dosage can make a person feel off. Every morning, I take out my wife’s prescribed medications in the right dosage, and personally hand them to her, along with a glass of water to help her swallow them. Make it easy for your partner to take their medications on a regular schedule, and do not give them an excuse to miss taking it.
Dealing with a depressed partner is difficult, under any circumstance. Dealing with constant, clinical depression can be especially challenging, but it doesn’t have to be if you follow the guidelines above. There is help. There will be ups and downs, particularly when the doctor is trying to find the right mix of medications and the right dosages that work.
Through it all, remember why you love your partner, and be patient. It does get better. Just because your partner is struggling with depression and may be taking medications does not mean that they won’t know or remember anything you do or say. They will remember, even when they are feeling better.
While they are feeling depressed, your partner may even say things or do things that hurt you. This is when you have to be strong, and just let it slide. Let it go. Realize they are not in their right mind, and continue to show them you care and will not hurt them. This is when you must find strength in the love you have for your partner, in the love that brought you together in the first place.
Encourage them to get up and do things with you, even though they don’t feel like it, but don’t force them to do anything they don’t want to. Invite them to go on a walk with you around a park. Nature and fresh air can lighten a person’s mood. Offer to cook them a meal, or give them a massage. A massage can release endorphins, which enlightens the mood.
Most importantly, just be yourself – don’t be patronizing. Depression is a long-term illness. Just because you may not be suffering from depression does not make you better than your partner, and it does not make your partner any less of a person. It just means they need help – your help, as well as professional help. We could all use some help once in a while.
You’ve read How to Help a Partner Struggling With Clinical Depression, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
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Photo: JJ Ying
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As the year comes to a close, it’s tempting to want to curl up on your couch and binge watch the latest show on Netflix. While comforting, we’re here to tell you that are other options as the weather gets colder—like taking photography and art classes online! Through e-learning sites like Craftsy and CreativeLive, you can push the boundaries of your imagination and discover new artistic approaches.
We’ve scoured these sites to find exciting creative classes that you can enroll in right now. They represent a range of skills, from drawing in colored pencils to photographing men’s portraits. But if you’re looking to study everything you can about a particular field, give CreativeLive’s new Learning Paths a try. “We’ve designed over a dozen tried and true paths complete with the world’s best classes,” they say, “to help you hit your creative targets or land the next big gig.” It offers a curated selection of courses that include the likes of wedding photography, podcasting, and digital design. Venture down one of these paths if you’re curious whether it’d be a viable career for you.
Check out more classes to try below. And if you want even more recommendations, see what we’ve highlighted in weeks past.
Photo: Kawin Harasai
How to Shoot and Composite Levitating Objects, CreativeLive: Learn to fool the eye and ignite the imagination with this class.
Men’s Portrait Photography, CreativeLive: Photographer Jeff Rojas will instruct you on the art of posing men so that they look natural and confident towards the camera.
Think Like a Photographer, CreativeLive: Perfect for beginners, Ben Wilmore reveals his thinking process when shooting to help you capture your subjects in the best way possible.
Anatomy of a Photoshoot, CreativeLive: A photo shoot might seem like a daunting endeavor, but photographer Mark Wallace breaks down the different parts to demonstrate how you too can create a complete shoot.
Keep it Simple: Video for Photographers, CreativeLive: Translate your photography skills to videography… without investing in expensive equipment or having to learn “complicated technical jargon.”
Photo: Miguel Á. Padriñán
Figure Sketching Made Simple, Craftsy: Bring the human figure to life when you take this class.
Light & Shading With Colored Pencils, Craftsy: Achieve breathtaking florals when you understand highlighting, shading, and blending techniques from colored pencil artist Cynthia Knox.
Essential Techniques for Outstanding Paintings, Craftsy: If you’re completely new to painting in oil or acrylic, this class is for you. Go over brush strokes, materials, and more. Plus, it’s a great reference tool for later.
Sketching Essentials in Graphite, Craftsy: Build a foundation for quickly sketching the things that you see in pencil.
How Color Affects You: What Science Reveals, Craftsy: Learn the science behind color and how to use it to your advantage in art, decor, design, and more.
Photo: Pixabay
Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life, CreativeLive: Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans explain how you can use design thinking to become “unstuck” in your life and feel confident about your future.
A Brand Called You, CreativeLive: Learn how defining yourself and your philosophy will make you stand out from the pack and present yourself with more confidence.
Become a Working Artist, CreativeLive: What does it take to break into the art world? Artist Lisa Congdon will show you how to map out your goals and vision that will “drive your artistic career.”
Copywriting for Crafters, CreativeLive: You don’t have to be the next great novelist to write compelling copy. Lead customers to checkout with the tips and tricks you learn in this class.
How to Make a Living Selling What You Make, CreativeLive: Turn your hobby into a sustainable career as Maker Megan Auman teaches you her recipe for success.
How to Use Crowdfunding to Launch the Creative Project of Your Dreams
30+ Best Photography Competitions to Elevate Your Craft
Best Free and Affordable Online Photoshop Tutorials for Photographers
10 Best Drawing Tablets to Unleash Your Creativity
13 of the Best Creative Podcasts Offering Great Advice and Endless Inspiration
The post 15 Online Art Classes to Take Your Creativity to New Heights This Week appeared first on My Modern Met.
Renowned Los Angeles-based tattoo artist Lisa Orth has “no interest in repeating or echoing past artwork,” explaining that her artistic motivation “lies in having [her] work progress and evolve.” Her signature style, rendered in flawless black linework, depicts mythical nautical and landscape scenes. Often tattooing half sleeves, she tends to use negative space to suggest a sun or a moon. Other common motifs include trees and mountains, as well as swirling waves and skies, which look as though they could have been woodblock-printed straight onto the skin.
Tattoo art is not Orth’s only creative endeavour. She also has an impressive history working in Seattle’s Grunge scene in the ‘90s. Orth was the founding Art Director for Sub Pop Records where she designed early record covers for bands such as Mudhoney, Sonic Youth, as well as Nirvana—whose iconic logo she also designed. She then went on to launch her own record label—called Big Flaming Ego Records—and recorded numerous local bands. She has now settled in LA where she takes select appointments in her tattoo studio.
If you can’t make it to LA for a tattoo, Orth also sells her illustrations on t-shirts, mugs, enamel pins, and prints on her online shop. You can keep up to date with her work on Instagram.
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Lisa Orth: Website | Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [Illusion]
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The post Half-Sleeve Tattoos Cover Arms in Mythical Landscape Illustrations appeared first on My Modern Met.
Cross-sectioned Great Pyramid of Giza shows the location of the void, but not its layout.
There’s much that we still don’t know about the ancient Egyptian pyramids. There is, however, one thing we can all agree on—there are many mysteries still left to solve. Last year, an international team of scientists made an amazing discovery; they found that there’s a large hidden cavity behind the walls of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Their findings were recently published in the scientific journal Nature.
So, how did they do it? The technique sounds like something out of science fiction, with an approach that sent particles to Earth by cosmic rays in space. The atoms travel at high speed and it allows them to pass through hundreds of meters of rock before they fall apart or are absorbed. Similar to an x-ray, it revealed a mysterious void that’s at least 30 meters (98 feet) long. It’s unknown what this space looks like; it could be one large chamber or a series of smaller ones.
Aerial view of the pyramid. The white dot cluster shows the location of the void.
“What we are sure about is that this big void is there,” explained Mehdi Tayoubi, president of the Heritage Innovation Preservation Institute. His nonprofit led the effort in detecting the cavern. “But,” he said, “we need to understand [it] better.”
Looking into the pyramid.
There is little known of the Great Pyramid of Giza, despite it being the largest of the pyramids standing at 139 meters (456 feet) wide and 230 meters 755 feet) tall. It was built during Pharaoh Khufu’s reign, which lasted from 2509 to 2483 BC. There are three known chambers within the structure that are each at different heights: an underground chamber; the Queen’s chamber; and the King’s chamber. Part of the space was mapped by robots between 1900 and 2010, but in general, there are limited historical documents from during Khufu’s time—hence the mystery.
The authors of the Nature article have avoided speculation on what the void could be used for and have invited Egyptologists to help. “There are still many architectural hypotheses to consider.”
Researcher using muon detector.
Researchers used augmented reality to create the computer generated pyramid.
h/t: [Gizmodo]
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The post Scientists Discover a Chamber Hidden Behind the Walls of the Great Pyramid appeared first on My Modern Met.
Every author has a story beyond the one that they put down on paper. The Barnes & Noble Podcast goes between the lines with today’s most interesting writers, exploring what inspires them, what confounds them, and what they were thinking when they wrote the books we’re talking about.
When you’re talking with the writer and performer John Hodgman, it doesn’t seem like any page, or chapter or volume could contain his restlessly inventive mind. It’s impossible to find a subject that Hodgman isn’t curious about, eloquent about, or really funny about – sometimes all within the same sentence. And a conversation with him is like being part of a piece of improv comedy in which you had better be on your toes if you want to keep up. While you might know Hodgman best from his appearances on The Daily Show or elsewhere on television and in film, the former literary agent has his roots in books: he’s the author of three bestselling works of absolutely, hilariously not-true anti-facts, including The Areas of My Expertise, More Information than You Require, and That Is All. He joins Bill Tipper on this episode to talk about his quite different new book, Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches. He spoke about what it’s like setting aside the”expert” character he’s made so famous, to speak more directly — though with characteristic wit — about growing up, growing older and (could it be?) growing wiser.
John Hodgman—New York Times bestselling author, semifamous personality, deranged millionaire, increasingly elderly husband, father, and human of Earth—has written a memoir about his cursed travels through two wildernesses: from the woods of his home in Massachusetts, birthplace of rage, to his exile on the coast of Maine, so-called Vacationland, home to the most painful beaches on Earth.
Vacationland is also about Hodgman’s wandering in the metaphoric wilderness of his forties, those years when dudes especially must painfully stop pretending to be the children of bright potential they were and settle into the failing bodies of the wiser, weirder dads that they are.
Other subjects covered include the horror of freshwater clams, the evolutionary purpose of the mustache, which animals to keep as pets and which to kill with traps and poison, and advice on how to react when the people of coastal Maine try to sacrifice you to their strange god.
After three bestselling books of fake facts, Hodgman is finally ready to tell the truth—in the same outlandish, audacious, and inimitable style that has won him fans in every medium he has worked: books, stage, social media, television, and movies.
Click here to see all books by John Hodgman.
Like this podcast? Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher to discover intriguing new conversations every week.
The post John Hodgman appeared first on The Barnes & Noble Review.
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Sig Nordal 