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a rate which is far in excess of our capacity for biological
adaptation This accelerated tempo of living is productive of
enormous mental tension and fatigue. Again, modern life
stimulates conflict. The unsatisfied desires of the individual tend
to increase tension and to breed emotional conflicts. Where
democracy prevails it stresses equality of opportunity with the
result that the mass of less able individuals must always be
discontented with their lot. The failure to achieve reacts upon
the personality to cause feelings of insecurity and inferiority and
nothing is more productive of mental maladjustment than
prolonged feelings of this kind.

It may well be stated that the increasing prevalence of
mental diseases comes from the very nature of modern civiliza-
tion and as India is fast adopting all the methods of modern
Western civilization in order to be on equal footing with the
civilized nations of the world, it might as well also provide
ample facilities for the treatment of its mental and nervous
breakdowns. Like the Western countries India must also launch
a well organized programme of mental hygiene and all the Indian
corporations, municipalities and district boards must help to
make it a success. There are thousands of young people (misfits)
walking in the streets of India to-day who are unnecessarily
doomed to spend some of their time before they die either in jails
or in mental hospitals. It is only by appreciating such
staggering figures that it is possible to understand the necessity
for mental hygiene movement in India. Every country in its
onward march to civilization has a complete nation-building
programme, and mental hygiene takes a prominent place in such
nation-building departments. The following preamble which
I quote from the American foundation for mental hygiene will
convince any one who is conversant with India and its affairs of
the dire need of introducing mental hygiene in India as a means
effective to the end of promoting and conserving mental health and
ameliorating the scourge of mental ill-health in India :—

                                " PREAMBLE.

Science takes exception to the law that only those whom
nature deems the fittest shall survive. Nature has her hidden
remedies for the torture of a broken mind or body, and science is
upon the march in search of these remedies that they may
be re-dedicated to mankind. The knowledge so gained forms
a sacred trust of civilization for the maintenance of the strong,
for the refitting of the weak and sick to their health and oppor-
tunity, and for their deliverance to a useful life in the community
and that pursuit of happiness which is the proper promise of
creation.''