Lili Reinhart Encouraged Fans To Look After Their Mental Health During Quarantine

The past few months of self-quarantine and social distancing have been difficult, but one Riverdale star is looking on the bright side of spending time alone. In a series of posts shared on her Instagram Story, Lili Reinhart opened up about focusing on her mental health during quarantine, and encouraged others to use their own time at home to take care of themselves. The actor began by sharing that while she tends "to be a glass half-empty kind of person," she has managed to have some "wonderful moments during this sh*tty quarantine."

"This last year has been incredibly overwhelming," Reinhart continued. "I felt overworked, constantly stressed, depressed, etc. etc." By contrast, she said, this quarantine has offered her "a very rare experience — to stay in one spot for an extended period of time. No travel, no alarm clocks, no work." While she made sure to share that she's "extremely grateful" for all of the healthcare workers risking their lives to care for those affected by the coronavirus, Reinhart explained that she's also "definitely not taking this time for granted."

"Those of us lucky enough to be safe at home should take the opportunity to focus on our mental health — because it usually goes overlooked," Reinhart wrote. "May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Don't delegitimize your emotions during this time. Your feelings deserve attention and validation."

Since her rise to fame with the success of Riverdale, Reinhart has used her platform and social media to share her experiences with depression and anxiety and advocate for others to look after their own mental health. "[Talking about mental health] should be commonplace. It should be something that we talk about in school," the actor told Cosmopolitan in April of 2017, while speaking about her own experiences with depression. "The fact that it isn't makes people ashamed of it."

A few months later, Reinhart told Teen Vogue that she believes mental health is "just as important as physical health and nutrition" and should be talked about in health classes. "Why aren't we learning about our minds, and our mental health, and mental illnesses? I just think that it's something that very much needs to go hand in hand. And, the more we understand it, the more people are willing to talk about it."

In February 2019, Reinhart discussed starting therapy again on her Instagram Story, in order to encourage her followers to seek help if they need it. "Friendly reminder for anyone who needs to hear it: Therapy is never something to feel ashamed of," Reinhart wrote. "Everyone can benefit from seeing a therapist. Doesn't matter how old or 'proud' you're trying to be." Even during a global pandemic, Reinhart continues to be candid about her own mental health — and encouraging to anyone else who might be going through the same thing.