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strain. While direct treatment, e.g. by heat, electricity and drugs
can assist, their handicap can be greatly reduced, as also in the
case of osteoarthritis, by building up the general health, the reduction
of anxiety and worry, and by using the parts affected fully,
within reason.
The 'Psychosomatic group' of diseases grows annually as
the influence of the mind over the physical is more generally recognised.
Asthma, duodenal ulceration, rheumatoid athritis and some
cardiac diseases are those most widely attributed to a mental origin,
but a much larger number are suspect. It is also recognised that
the mind can very materially affect the course of other diseases,
even possibly cancer, which are not yet thought to be originally
caused by mental ill-health.
'Mental Ill-Health'. With these observations in mind and
the increasing loss of manpower due to mental ill-health associated
with negligible physical symptoms, the tremendous importance
of mental hygiene is obvious. While good heredity is a very important
and valuable asset, the period of training of the young child
is a critical phase, but so also is that of the adolescent, while adults
of all ages need knowledge and self discipline to adapt themselves
adequately to their constantly changing environment.
There is no short cut to mental health anymore than to physical
well being, but absolute honesty and respect of truth, selflessness
and the acceptance of a sound and practical philosophy of life
appear to be some of the pre-requisites. As a nation, we should
be well advised to concentrate more on the development of healthy
minds than on trying to effect cures when symptoms of advanced
derangement are noted. Instead of ever striving to quicken the
speed of life and create distractions, surely more time for quiet
meditation and clear thinking with subsequent logical action should
be encouraged and the value of simplicity in individual lives
stressed. We cannot 'put back the clock' but is the only alternative
to allow time, the machine, atomic development and the like, to
become our permanent masters ?
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