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KB128 - The Mental Health State of The World
The Knowledge Bomb Newsletter
Jay Alderton
April 04, 2025
Are You Ready For The Next 40 Years?
Most men hit 40 and start coasting.
Energy dips. Muscle fades. Motivation crashes.
They blame age, stress, work, life...
But the truth?
They’re not falling apart
They’re just following a plan that stopped working years ago.
That’s why I created a quick quiz called:
“Are You Built for the Next 40?”
It takes 2 minutes. No fluff. No BS.
It reveals exactly where you're strong—and where you're leaking potential.
Mental Health
The Mental Health State of the World
Let’s be honest…
Most of us are a little frayed around the edges!
Stretched thin. Tired but wired.
And quietly wondering…
“Is it just me?”
A new global report says…
It’s not.
The Mental State of the World report - pulling data from over a million people in 82 countries paints a clear picture:
We’re more connected than ever, but less connected to ourselves.
This isn’t a “doom scroll.”
It’s a wake-up call!
Here are the five biggest takeaways from the report.
Let’s dive in…
#1. Young Minds Are Struggling
41% of 18–34-year-olds are dealing with serious mental health challenges.
Not just “a bit stressed.”
We’re talking anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and feeling totally disconnected from reality.
It’s tempting to blame screen time
But that’s just the surface.
The real issues?
Loneliness.
Pressure.
That constant feeling of performing… and never arriving.
The good news?
People are talking.
The masks are coming off.
But awareness without action is just noise.
How to fix it:
Create real spaces for honesty.
Ask better questions.
Stop defaulting to “I’m fine” and start telling the truth.
To your friends, your family, and yourself.
Because the strongest homes aren’t the ones with perfect routines…
They’re the ones where people feel safe enough to be real.
#2. Phones Are Stealing Our Presence
Kids who got smartphones before 13 are now showing higher levels of mental health struggles, worse social skills, and lower emotional resilience.
Not exactly shocking.
The human brain wasn’t built for endless notifications, filtered perfection, or the never-ending scroll.
(Especially a child’s.)
How to fix it:
Start creating friction.
No phones at dinner.
Put the sad rectangle down an hour before bed.
Go for a walk without needing to document it.
Not as punishment, but as a reset.
Not to disconnect, but to properly reconnect.
You can’t be present with your people if you’re present in your phone.
#3. What We Eat Shapes How We Feel
Ultra-processed foods are now over 65% of the average person’s diet.
And guess what?
They’re linked to depression, anxiety, and brain fog.
Feel rubbish?
It might not be your mindset..
It might be your menu.
How to fix it:
Look at your week. If every meal is beige and microwaveable, that’s a problem.
Commit to cooking at least 3 meals from scratch.
Use actual ingredients.
Chop stuff. Stir stuff. Season stuff.
(No, you don’t need to be a chef.)
You just need to stop pretending a protein bar and a can of Monster is “getting by.”
Your brain runs on what you feed it.
So feed it something that doesn’t have a barcode.
#4. Family Ties Matter (More Than Ever)
The report backs up what we’ve always known deep down:
Strong relationships are mental armour.
Support isn’t a luxury.
It’s what keeps you sane when life kicks off.
But younger generations are slipping.
Not because they don’t care..
But because convenience has replaced connection.
And no, group chats don’t count!
How to fix it:
Stop outsourcing your relationships to tech and timing.
Schedule Sunday dinners.
Put proper time into the people that matter.
Ask better questions.
Have conversations that aren’t just transactional.
And be the one who shows up
especially when it’s not convenient.
Because family isn’t who you live with.
It’s who you invest in.
#5. The Basics Still Win
Better sleep.
More movement.
Daily stillness.
Not new. Not sexy.
But effective as f**k!
Mental health isn’t hiding in your next productivity hack or supplement stack.
It’s sitting in the basics you keep brushing off.
How to fix it:
Go to bed earlier.
Get sunlight first thing in the morning.
Train daily, even if it’s just walking and stretching.
And for the love of your nervous system, sit in silence for 5 minutes without reaching for your phone.
You don’t need a new routine.
You just need to stop ignoring the one that already works.
Mental health isn’t about fixing what’s broken, it’s about reconnecting to what’s right!
Real food
Honest conversation
Deep relationships
Good sleep
Movement that clears your head
Stillness that resets your nervous system
You don’t need a full-blown plan…
You just need to notice what’s off and fix it…
Less scrolling.
More sleeping.
Fewer packets.
More cooking.
Less talking about it.
More doing something with it.
Steady mind. Strong body.
That’s the foundation.
Start there.
I hope you enjoyed this week’s Knowledge Bomb.
See you next week for another instalment.
Jay Alderton
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