Throughout his royal duties, the Duke of Sussex has been a strong supporter of normalizing mental health care and encouraging everyone to look after themselves.
The 35-year-old Prince may have officially stepped down as a senior member of the royal family, but his mental health advocacy continues. Just recently, Harry launched a campaign that he spearheaded three years ago.
Military Mental Health Support
Prince Harry introduced HeadFIT, a special project that aims to support defense personnel’s full mental health support. It is an online platform designed with the Britain Defence community in mind to help them manage their stress level every day. It is accessible to them 24/7.
The project is close to Harry’s heart since he also served the army for 10 years. Just like the Endeavor Fund and Invictus Games, Harry’s charities are always centered on members of the armed forces and veterans.
During his virtual speech, the Duke revealed that it took them three years to do the project, and he is very grateful for everyone who helped them make it possible.
“Everyone who has worked on it, to create what we have today, should be incredibly proud and excited for the impact it will have,” Prince Harry said.
Harry believes that the military community should lead the way for society, and they can only do this if they have stable physical and mental health conditions.
HeadFIT’s platform will allow the military workforce to have access to self-help tools to improve mood, drive, and confidence. It also includes methods such as breathing exercises, body posture, and relaxation techniques designed to relieve the stress of all kinds of personnel from new recruits, long-serving personnel, veterans, or civilian staff.
“HeadFIT is a proactive approach to mental fitness, focusing on our own potential to increase our performance, using proven methods in sport science,” Harry added.
Harry explained that HeadFIT aims to promote self-optimization and pushing one’s self at their full potential. He said that it is about “gaining an advantage” in all kinds of situations and building resilience to prepare them for everyday stress.
“To be HeadFIT is to be at your peak performance,” Harry said.
“If you want to be truly fit, strong, and healthy, you have to train your mind and body as one. What do you do to be mentally fit? Think about what you can do to unlock your potential and to perform at the highest level,” he added.
Prince Harry’s new project is done in partnership with the “Heads Together” campaign, the Ministry of Defence, King’s College London, and with clinical advice from Dr. Vanessa Moulton.
Back in 2017, Harry visited the Ministry of Defence in central London to kick off the said partnership. In 2019, he also appeared in a video conference to introduce HeadFIT before its official launch.
HRH The Duke of Sussex, @HelliwellHelen & David Wiseman introduce HeadFIT: innovational mental fitness video signposting website to assist the management of good mental health. Launch anticipated early 2020. Great panel too! @KensingtonRoyal @DMS_MilMed @DMS_DG @DMS_SurgGen pic.twitter.com/PWXLZsBf0c
— Head of Research & Clinical Innovation (@DMSResearch) October 2, 2019
Based on the official press release, the digital initiative was created with inputs from real defense personnel. HeadFIT will also be available to the public by June, as it is currently under evaluation the King’s College London.