How Your Environment Affects Your Emotional Well-Being

It is important to take care of ourselves, and there are many ways to do so. One way to look out for your well-being is by carefully monitoring and adjusting your environment. The things around us often affect how we feel. If we’re in a situation that is aggressive, we tend to become aggressive as well. Likewise, if we are in a calm and relaxed environment, our mood may reflect those same qualities. Different environments will always evoke different emotions and responses.

Understanding how your environment affects your emotional well-being, you first have to understand yourself. What are the things that make you feel negative emotions like stress, anger, or sadness? What are the things that make you feel positive emotions like happiness or serenity? Knowing these things about yourself will help you realize how certain environments dictate how you feel.

 Toxic Environments

Toxic environments are people, places, or situations that are stress-inducing. They can cause emotional distress, demotivate you, and may even cause mental health issues. Forcing yourself to endure this stress is unhealthy and damaging.

Your home can be a toxic environment. If you are living in a house where there is screaming, fighting, or you feel that you are unsafe, you are surrounded by negativity, and this will affect your mental well-being. You might start internalizing these emotions and it may affect how you think, act, or interact with others. This is bad for your mental health, and it would be best to find a space where you can stay that gives you the comfort your household cannot offer.

A work environment may also be considered toxic. Business journalist Kyle Elliott lists down some signs your work environment is toxic. He mentions that toxic work environments can cause stress and anxiety, decrease morale, and cause low productivity. A toxic working environment will not only affect your performance, but also your mental well-being.

 Good Environments

A good environment can make the world of difference, as it will be good for your mood and help with productivity. Though what is good can be subjective, there are some things that are true for most people.

An environment that is good for your mental well-being is one you are comfortable in. Create a personal space with things that make you happy. If you find aesthetics pleasing, decorate your space in a way that you like. If you find yourself more productive in a neat environment, make sure to organize and keep your space clean. If certain scents calm you down, have some air fresheners or scented candles with that smell. NBC recommend houseplants, as not only can they remove 87 per cent of air toxins in 24 hours, they improve concentration and productivity by up to 15%.

Good environments aren’t exclusive to the indoors, as many people find comfort in nature and the outside world. There are several guides on mental health on SymptomFind and in one post it emphasizes the importance of getting outdoors. You can go out for a bit of physical activity, which will positively impact your mood. Cities and urban areas will have good outdoor parks that have relaxing scenery and places to get some peace. Just be sure to stay safe and protected with ExpressMed's protective equipment. An environment that accounts for both your mental and physical health is a good environment.

Your environment can make or break your mental health. If you know you are in a toxic one, don’t force yourself to stay in it if it can be helped. Practice some self-care by creating an environment that positively affects you. For more tips you can check our list on ‘10 Easy Ways to Give Yourself Self-Care Right Now’.

 Article written by Rose Jeanne