How to prioritize young people's mental well-being by teaching mental fitness

Even before the global pandemic, UNICEF estimated that one in seven adolescents experienced poor mental health. By 2022, the World Health Organization was reporting that depression and anxiety had increased by more than 25% in the first year of the pandemic alone.

To realize a world in which young people's mental health is prioritized and protected, we propose adding mental fitness to school curricula and employee resources, following a model similar to teaching physical fitness and well-being.

By fostering mental fitness from an early age and continuing that support throughout their working lives, we can equip the world's youth with the tools they need to navigate life's challenges. As practitioners, we – Maya Raichoora and Asheesh Advani – advocate for proactive and preventive measures and self-efficacy in mental fitness.

Many schools and workplaces already offer mental health training through workshops and seminars, public awareness campaigns and online self-help resources, with treatment as needed through medication, psychotherapy, crisis intervention and rehabilitation programmes.

Such mental health training is critical to addressing the mental well-being of Generation Z (born from the mid-1990s to around 2010) and Generation Alpha (born from 2010 onwards).

But what about prevention? In Raichoora's recent TEDx talk, she argues that traditional approaches to mental health often emphasize treatment after issues arise. In contrast, mental fitness is about proactive and preventive care, built on regular, intentional practices that improve and maintain mental well-being.

The concept is akin to how physical well-being requires regular exercise and healthy nutrition for prevention, augmented by medical interventions for injury or illness or how social-emotional learning teaches five core competencies to prevent isolation and disengagement, augmented by direct interventions when students experience trauma. Similarly, mental fitness requires consistent and intentional preventive practices such as visualization, positive self-talk and mindfulness, which help youth build emotional resilience and mental health.

Mental fitness training not only reduces stigma around mental health issues but also increases the likelihood of a healthy society in which proactive mental care is normalized and young people can realize their full potential.

Mental fitness courses can mimic the physical fitness education we know so well. Here's a framework:

For Raichoora, mental weightlifting refers to the visualization work she is known for. She reshapes neural pathways and forms new neural connections by visualizing a specific action or scenario, mentally rehearsing upcoming stressful or difficult situations and visualizing positive and successful outcomes.

For Advani, the learning experiences that stem from, for example, the JA-Z Zurich Foundation partnership lead to self-efficacy, a form of mental weight-training that refers to a person's belief in their ability to succeed despite the challenges and failures that may occur along the way. Like visualization, self-efficacy builds in four ways:

Investing in mental fitness training within school curricula, workplace learning and development and community services is essential for preparing the next generation to thrive in a complex and demanding world.

By adopting this framework and normalizing mental fitness, young people can significantly enhance their mental well-being, equipping them with the tools to navigate future challenges with optimism, resilience and confidence.