Stuck at Home? Remember the Three D's of Mental Health

Right now, many of us are staying at home. Stores are closing, people are social distancing, and your job may be at home, or you're facing unemployment. Either way, you're going to be spending some more time at your house.

For some, their home feels like home. For others, their house can be draining on their mental health. There are three ways that you can keep your mental health and optimism up while you're at home, and they all start with D. Here they are.

Declutter

Right now is a good time to declutter your house. Not only is it spring cleaning time, but if you're going to be staying at home for a while, a house that is overly cluttered can bring down the mood.

Decluttering can make your house much easier on your mental state of mind. However, you may not know what to remove. A little at a time, look at every object and determine if you really need it. For example, do you really need those extra chairs if no one can come over for a while?

Once you declutter, determine if you should toss, sell, or donate it. Store donations may be limited at this time, but if there is a drop-off spot, do it. Sell anything online, and if you can’t do that, try a contact-free way to meet up with any potential buyers.

Decompress

It’s a time of stress, so it’s important to do anything that helps you relax and unwind. Keeping your mental health up this way can help you sleep better at night and allow you to get everything off your chest. Here are some ways you can decompress:

· Take a nice, hot bath.

· Have an occasional glass of wine. Some places now allow wine delivery.

· Listen to some relaxing music. With YouTube and other websites, it’s easy to find something relaxing and mix it up.

· Get everything off your chest. If you feel overly stressed, talking to a therapist is an effective way to decompress. But since you're trapped in your house, how can you do that? One way is through online therapy. BetterHelp therapy allows you to talk to a licensed therapist from your phone, computer, or other device. You can also check out this comprehensive guide to the best online therapy services of 2020.

· A good show can help you unwind, but also make sure you're doing other activities that don't involve a screen.

· Exercise. Working out can pump you up, but it can also improve your mood and relieve stress. Order some weights online, watch a few exercise videos, and make sure that you get a good workout in. Trust us when we say that you’ll thank us for it later.

Do It!

If there’s something you've always wanted to do, now is the time to do so. Learn a new language, get into arts and crafts, start working out at home, the list goes on.

When you stay at home, getting into new hobbies and accomplishing life goals can keep your mental health up. Because of this outbreak, everyone’s realizing they don’t have much time on this planet. If there’s something you can do at home that you can do, why not do it? As long as you can order it online, can view it online, or can do it at home, the sky’s the limit.

These are three ways you can keep your mental health up at home. Of course, there are a lot more as well, but these three fit neatly into most categories. How are you holding up at home? Feel free to tell us.

Marie Miguel is a research and writing expert whose work focuses on health-related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of the online mental health resource BetterHelp.com. With a dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to target subjects related to well being.