Shell shock

Shell shock was a World War I-era term for psychological and physical symptoms reported by combatants. It encompassed conditions later distinguished as trauma-related disorders, neurological injury, and other illnesses.

First World War: A global conflict fought from 1914 to 1918, centered on Europe and involving powers across the world. The term emerged amid the mass combat and casualty crises of this war.
Post-traumatic stress disorder: A disorder that can develop after exposure to traumatic events, involving persistent symptoms such as intrusive memories and heightened threat responses. It is a later diagnostic framework for some experiences once grouped under shell shock.
Siegfried Sassoon: An English poet and army officer whose writing condemned the First World War and depicted its psychological toll. His experiences and advocacy brought attention to traumatized soldiers.
Military psychiatry: The branch of psychiatry concerned with mental health in military personnel and the effects of military service. Shell shock helped establish psychological injury as a military medical problem.
Combat stress reaction: An acute psychological response to combat that can impair a service member’s ability to function. It is a modern military term for short-term reactions once described in similar language.
Battle of the Somme: A major First World War battle fought by British and French forces against Germany in 1916. Large numbers of affected soldiers made the condition a pressing military concern.
Psychogenic disorder: A disorder in which psychological processes produce or shape symptoms without an adequate structural explanation. Some physicians attributed shell shock symptoms to psychological trauma rather than physical blast damage.
Wilfred Owen: An English poet and soldier whose poems portray the suffering and disillusionment of the First World War. His poetry gave memorable expression to the war’s psychological and bodily devastation.
British Army: The land warfare force of the United Kingdom, including its First World War personnel. Its command and medical services determined how affected soldiers were classified and managed.
Veterans' rights: The legal and social entitlements of people who have served in the armed forces. Disputes over shell shock helped expose the consequences of denying service-related injury.

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