Gen Z leads the mental health shift but still lacks practical emotional tools

As Global Wellness Day 2026 arrives, the conversation around emotional well-being has never felt more relevant. Gunjan Adhya, founder of wellness platform Tulla Journey, believes the COVID-19 pandemic was a watershed moment — one that brought mental health firmly into public consciousness.

Ahead of the occasion, she spoke to Hindustan Times about generational attitudes towards mental wellness, the continuing role of physical tools such as journals and affirmation cards, and why knowing about well-being is not the same as practising it.

How COVID-19 changed mental health conversations

Before the pandemic, emotional struggles were rarely discussed in open company. Whilst people were willing to talk about physical ailments, mental health remained largely a private matter.

The pandemic dismantled that reluctance, forcing widespread confrontation with stress, anxiety, loneliness and uncertainty. The result was a significant shift: emotional fitness came to be viewed as just as essential as physical fitness, and the stigma around mental health began to erode.

Younger adults drive wellness engagement

According to Adhya, those in their 20s and 30s are by far the most active participants in wellness workshops and the most willing to seek support. This generation approaches therapy, self-development and emotional healing with a degree of openness that older cohorts often find more difficult.

Many people over 45, she notes, grew up in households where emotions were seldom acknowledged — shaped by expectations that feelings should be set aside in the interests of family duty and social conformity.

Why Gen Z approaches wellness differently

Adhya attributes Gen Z's particular engagement with mental wellness to a fundamental change in values. Rather than measuring a good life solely by professional or material achievement, this generation has begun to ask a different question altogether.

"Instead of focusing only on success, they are also asking, 'Am I living well?' They understand that happiness is not something that comes after achieving a goal. It is something that needs attention every day."

In practical terms, many young people are prepared to leave jobs, draw firm boundaries and prioritise their own well-being if they feel their mental health is under threat.

The gap between awareness and action

Social media has given Gen Z a sophisticated vocabulary around mental health, but Adhya cautions that fluency in the language of wellness does not automatically translate into effective emotional management. There is, she argues, a meaningful gap between knowing about well-being and consistently practising it.

"That is where journaling, affirmations, and guided self-reflection can help. These practices create space for people to understand what they are feeling and why."

Authenticity at the heart of emotional well-being

For Adhya, genuine mental wellness is inseparable from self-honesty. Only when people stop performing and begin to truly listen to themselves do they make decisions that are genuinely aligned with their values and needs.

"When people stop pretending and start listening to themselves, they make choices that are more aligned with who they really are. That creates greater peace and emotional balance."

Physical tools in an AI-driven wellness landscape

Even as artificial intelligence encroaches on the wellness space, Adhya maintains that physical tools retain a distinct and irreplaceable value. Technology can deliver information with ease, but the emotional depth that comes from direct, tactile experience is harder to replicate digitally.

"There is something powerful about holding a card in your hands, choosing a prompt and spending time with your thoughts. These moments help people connect with themselves more deeply."

A journaling book born from the pandemic

Adhya's own journaling book was conceived during the pandemic, when remote work with clients revealed a clear and pressing need for self-directed tools to manage stress and anxiety without professional support on hand.

"The journaling book was created as a prompt-led self-help tool that could help people build self-awareness and discover their inner strength. It was designed to act as a guide toward authenticity rather than a traditional self-help book."

Feedback has been largely positive, though Adhya acknowledges that some users find certain prompts unsettling, particularly those that require engaging with deep-seated fears or uncomfortable aspects of the subconscious. She emphasises that a willingness to be honest with oneself is essential to deriving real benefit from such exercises.

The challenges that remain for younger generations

Despite their relative openness, many young people still struggle to articulate their emotional difficulties fully — particularly in conversation with parents. Emotional communication barriers persist even as the desire for space and freedom to process feelings has grown in importance.

As the world marks Global Wellness Day 2026, Adhya views the expanded openness around mental health as an encouraging development, whilst stressing that lasting well-being demands consistent self-reflection, emotional honesty and the regular use of practical tools.