Call it a sheltering stupor. Call it cabin fever. Or call it extreme boredom.

With Americans being urged, or ordered, by their governor to stay home and avoid social contact, the mental anguish can be maddening.

Local students haven’t gone to school since March 13, which will be three full weeks this Friday. That means teachers and other support personnel have largely been at home too.

Bridgestone and Yorozu are among the major employers which have experienced shutdowns. And on Monday, Gov. Bill Lee issued a “safer-at-home” executive order, mandating the closure of all “nonessential” businesses and urging residents to remain at home for the next two weeks.

During this time, the monotonous prospect of weeks trapped indoors can be daunting, especially for parents of young children. Fortunately, there are options.

It’s been see you later alligator for popular family attractions like Nashville Zoo and Zoo Knoxville. The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga has closed its doors too, but the aquarium is offering live streams that are available 24 hours a day at https://www.tnaqua.org/live-cams.

The live streams can be accompanied by an educational component, making it an informative way to spend some time, aquarium officials say.

Other suggestions to stave off boredom include:

• Break out a good book.

• Start a new hobby. A few ideas include knitting, stained glass, Soduku and fiction writing.

• Try a new recipe. The possibilities are endless on Pinterest.

• Start scrapbooking.

• Do a puzzle.

• Pull out board games or a pack of cards.

• Engage in some pre-spring cleaning.

• Rearrange your furniture. Sometimes a few moves is all it takes to make your place look new.

• Tackle a home improvement project.

• Plan your summer vacation – and hope virus conditions improve in a few months. 

• Have a movie and popcorn night. Dig out an old favorite or stream or rent something new.

• Research your family history and create a family tree.

• Write a letter to touch base with an old friend or family member.

• Go for a walk, even a 15-minute one.

As for the term “cabin fever” mental health experts say it’s a real phenomenon. Each person’s temperament and personality are major factors in how quickly these kinds of emotions manifest.

If you’re more extroverted in nature and not used to being at home, you’re probably more prone to feeling this way, said Vaile Wright, a psychologist and director of clinical research at the American Psychological Association.

There are people who feel cabin fever instantly, said Paul Rosenblatt, a psychologist at the University of Minnesota, who studied cabin fever among adults in the 1980s.

“They’re looking at a future where they might be home for a long time and they are feeling it,” Rosenblatt told CNN. He suggested living in the moment and saying to yourself, “I don’t know what I’m going to do later today or tomorrow, but here’s a short story I wanted to read, or there’s a magazine I haven’t read.”

Wright and Rosenblatt recommend several ways you can ease the tension in your mind and feel less constrained at home.

• Establish a routine

“Get up at the same time you would get up, make sure you’re still showering, that you’re getting dressed and not laying around in your PJs all day,” Wright said.

• Mix up your space a bit

• Stay physically and mentally active

“Unless you know you’ve been exposed or are infected, social distancing does not mean that you can’t go outside,” Wright said. “Going outside, getting fresh air, taking a walk -- those are all really important things to do.”

• Continue to connect with others on the phone or social media, just not in person.