Going outside won’t fix your depression, but staying inside will make it worse. I know “go exercise” is a cliche, but it is one for a reason. Laying in bed or sitting behind a desk all day is terrible for your mental health. Where I live there were lockdowns during COVID and they proved disastrous for the public’s mental health (not denying they were the right choice overall though).

I’m not in America, so I can’t ascertain the risk you’re exposed to when going outside right now. However, while I disagree that the current political atmosphere is not a reason for concern, I do think your family might be right that avoiding going outside all the time is unnecessary.

So, try going outside more often. A short walk at least once a day is a good start. Good luck.

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Also in case you aren’t familiar, I recommend watching “7 Ways to Maximize Misery”.