Systems Thinking Approach for the Promotion of Mental Health among Adolescents: The Role of Food, Sports, Music, Yoga and Spirituality Need for a Paradigm Shift Towards a Post-COVID-19 India

Abstract

The fast-paced lifestyle in India today accompanied by rapid globalization and rampant urbanization along with recent the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the manner in which people lead their lives. The transition from conventional joint families to nuclear families has also become the norm now. All these factors cumulatively are causing several health problems mainly related to mental health issues amongst children and adolescents during this pandemic. The need of the hour is to tackle the issue of mental health amongst children and adolescents through a system thinking approach which takes into account diverse factors that can eventually improve or enhance mental health outcomes. A system thinking approach would consider the role of factors such as food, sports, music, yoga and spirituality in addressing mental health challenges amongst children and adolescents. Studies have been conducted by researchers in the past which indicate that there is a positive correlation between the kind of food that is being consumed, mindful eating, physical activity, physical literacy, music, yoga, mindful meditation, spirituality, which together lead a greater sense of awareness and thereby creates positive emotions by buffering the negative emotions such as anxiety and depression levels. As a public health emergency, the COVID-19 outbreak, there is a dire need to adopt a system thinking approach by not only with schools but also emphasized on parents or caregivers. The government should adopt systems thinking approach asa mandatory part of the curriculum of schools while parents and children as key stakeholders.