01 May 2020
Prince Harry launches Head Fit – mental fitness support for veterans
BY Megan Whitby
Prince Harry has launched a mental fitness support initiative for veterans and people working in the defense industry.
Called HeadFIT for Life, the initiative's website is designed to help defense people stay mentally fit and on top of their game by using advice and practical tools to cope with mental health – these are split into four sections: De-Stress, Drive, Confidence, and Mood.
Each section provides written guides, audio tutorials and animations to guide people through a variety of mental health struggles, all of which are underpinned by two psychological models, the cognitive model and the emotional regulation model.
The online initiative is a product of a partnership between the Ministry of Defence and Heads Together, the mental health initiative spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge which combines a campaign to tackle stigma and change the conversation on mental health with fundraising for a series of innovative new mental health services.
“Today, when we talk about fitness we don’t just mean how fast you can run, how much you weigh or what you can carry, this is about mental fitness, strength and resilience, not just while wearing a uniform, but for the rest of your life,” said the Duke.
“If you want to be truly fit, strong and healthy you need to train your mind and body as one.
“HeadFIT has been almost three years in the making, and I’m extremely grateful for everyone who’s been on this journey with us," he said
"I've long believed the military community should lead the way for the rest of society. For too long we’ve been waiting for problems to arise and then reacting to them," he continued.
"HeadFIT is a proactive approach to mental fitness, focusing on our own potential to increase our performance, using proven methods in sport science."
The website uses the strapline ‘STOP, CHALLENGE and CHANGE’, asking people to ‘stop and become aware of how you are responding to things, challenge what’s going on in your head and, if it’s appropriate, change the way you’re thinking’.
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