Psychological fitness

Last updated Aug 15, 2023

• Source:
  • Health.mil: Psychological fitness
  • Psychological Fitness and Resilience: A Review of Relevant Constructs, Measures, and Links to Well-Being
• Keywords: Cards/permanent notes
• Relevant Notes:
  • May also be defined as Cards/Mental fitness? Emotional fitness?
  • Emotional Hygeine

Psychological Fitness is the ability to ==integrate and improve cognitive, emotional, and behavioral practices.== Staying mission-ready means having a healthy, high functioning mind, which connects to every domain of Total Force Fitness. Mental health and mental toughness are not binary-options with an “on/off switch” – they exist on a spectrum, and you can train the mind and learn skills to improve. Psychological health takes practice and training. ==Just like any other part of your body, the more you exercise it, the stronger and more resilient it gets.== Emotions are part of psychological fitness. We all have them for a reason and suppressing them is not the answer. Find constructive ways to express feelings and cope with difficult emotions that otherwise could affect mission readiness.

Psychological fitness, as part of the Total Force Fitness (TFF) construct, is defined as the ==integration and optimization of cognitive processes and abilities, behaviors, and emotions to positively affect performance, well-being, and response to stress.== These resilience factors can be thought of as antecedents of a complex process whereby individuals deal with stress. As such, they provide the foundation for psychological fitness.