How were people with shell shock treated?
The treatment of shell-shock
- Shell-shock and psychiatry. Cases of shell-shock began to appear among the troops of the British Expeditionary Force late in 1914 during the retreat from Mons.
- The nature of shell-shock. ...
- Individual treatments. ...
- Shell-shock and PTSD. ...
Is there a cure for shell shock?
Some doctors did try to treat or cure soldiers with shell shock, but used techniques such as electric shock therapy to try and shock individuals back to being normal. Other brutal methods were additionally used, such as pressing hot plates to the back of the patient's throat, and putting out cigarettes on the patient's tongue.
Could shell shock be cured?
Shell-shock reduces the fighter's effectiveness and lasts until the end of the battle or until the crew member is healed. Shell-shock can be cured only with a First Aid Kit . Consequences of crew...
What was the effects of shell shock?
The road to recovery
- solitary confinement
- disciplinary treatment
- electric shock treatment
- shaming and physical re-education
- emotional deprivation
What was the most common treatment for shell shock?
The most common treatment for shell shock was, at the time, electric shock therapy. During the course of war, shell shock became recognized as one of the primary afflictions and new forms of treatment were incorporated, including psychotherapy.
How did soldiers recover from shell shock?
Although some doctors or medics did take procedure to try to cure soldiers' shell shock, it was first done in a brutal way. Doctors would provide electric shock to soldiers in hopes that it would shock them back to their normal, heroic, pre-war self.
How did Germany treat shell shock?
But where in Britain and France, thousands of men were left to suffer in army hospitals without specialist treatments or consigned to county lunatic asylums, German troops were treated and sent home to work. Still, more than 3,000 British shell shock cases were sentenced to death for cowardice — 307 were executed.
Does shell shock still exist?
Shell shock is a term originally coined in 1915 by Charles Myers to describe soldiers who were involuntarily shivering, crying, fearful, and had constant intrusions of memory. It is not a term used in psychiatric practice today but remains in everyday use.
What does a shell shocked soldier look like?
The term "shell shock" was coined by the soldiers themselves. Symptoms included fatigue, tremor, confusion, nightmares and impaired sight and hearing. It was often diagnosed when a soldier was unable to function and no obvious cause could be identified.
Did German soldiers suffer from shell shock?
But in Germany, “shell shock” was not considered an acceptable diagnosis. Instead, writes historian Paul Lerner, men who came back from the war with psychological trauma were dubbed hysterical—with disastrous consequences. Male hysteria was not new in Germany.
What is a thousand yard stare?
The thousand-yard stare or two-thousand-yard stare is a phrase often used to describe the blank, unfocused gaze of combatants who have become emotionally detached from the horrors around them. It is sometimes used more generally to describe the look of dissociation among victims of other types of trauma.
What drug was used in World war 2?
Between April and July 1940, German servicemen received more than 35 million methamphetamine tablets. The drug was even dispensed to pilots and tank crews in the form of chocolate bars known as Fliegerschokolade (flyer's chocolate) and Panzerschokolade (tanker's chocolate).
What was shell shock?
SHELL shock was a condition that afflicted many soldiers on all sides during the horror of the First World War. Here's what we know about the battle induced condition and how it was treated a hundred years ago. 1. Shell shock was a condition that affected thousands of troops during WWI Credit: Corbis - Getty.
When was shell shock first described?
But medics couldn't find any physical damage to explain the symptoms. The term “shell shock” was coined in 1917 by a Medical Officer called Charles Myers. It was also known as "war neurosis", "combat stress" and later Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
How many men were still in shell shock in 1918?
By 1918, 20,000 men were still suffering from shell shock and thousands more had experienced it during their service. Across the country, doctors were mystified by a condition that they hadn't seen before with Tommies coming back from the trenches blind, deaf, mute or paralysed.
What are the symptoms of shell shock?
SHAKEN TO THE CORE What were the symptoms of shell shock? 1 Hysteria and anxiety 2 Paralysis 3 Limping and muscle contractions 4 Blindnes and deafness 5 Nightmares and insomnia 6 Heart palpitations 7 Depression 8 Dizziness and disorientation 9 Loss of appetite
Can shell shock be a physical or mental illness?
Doctors soon found that many men suffering the symptoms of shell shock without having even been in the front lines. Shell shock victims often couldn't eat or sleep, whilst others continued to suffer physical symptoms. Many soldiers found themselves re-living their experiences of combat long after the war had ended.
Why was shell shock diagnosed?
It was often diagnosed when a soldier was unable to function and no obvious cause could be identified. Because many of the symptoms were physical, it bore little overt resemblance to the modern diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. Shell shock took the British Army by surprise.
What are the three essentials of shell shock?
Drawing on ideas developed by French military neuropsychiatrists, Myers identified three essentials in the treatment of shell shock: "promptness of action, suitable environment and psychotherapeutic measures ," though those measures were often limited to encouragement and reassurance.
How did Myers argue that shell shock could be cured?
Along with William McDougall, another psychologist with a medical background, Myers argued that shell shock could be cured through cognitive and affective reintegration. The shell-shocked soldier, they thought, had attempted to manage a traumatic experience by repressing or splitting off any memory of a traumatic event.
What was the impact of shell shock on the British Army?
Not only did it affect increasing numbers of frontline troops serving in World War I, British Army doctors were struggling to understand and treat the disorder.
Who convinced the British military to take shell shock seriously?
Shell shocked. During World War I, some people saw shell shock as cowardice or malingering, but Charles S. Myers convinced the British military to take it seriously and developed approaches that still guide treatment today. Jones, E. (2012, June). Shell shocked.
When did the War Office investigate shell shock?
In 1922 , the War Office appointed a Committee of Inquiry into Shell Shock, but Myers was so disillusioned by some of his wartime experiences that he refused to give evidence. Only in 1940, with Britain again at war, did he write his memoirs, which detailed his theories about shell shock and its treatment.
What was the medical term for shell shock?
Medical Treatment of Shellshock. Shellshock is a medical term first associated with the First World War. As early as the first winter of the war there were indications of a high level of mental breakdown among hospitalised men and officers. By 1916, over 40% of the casualties in fighting zones were victims of Shellshock and by the end ...
What is electric shock treatment?
Electric Shock Treatment was very popular. This involved an electric current being applied to various body parts to cure the symptoms of Shellshock. For example, an electric current would be applied to the pharynx of a soldier suffering from mutism or to the spine of a man who had problems walking.
What were the most common forms of neurosis in the US Army?
Among regular soldiers hysteria - paralysis, blindness, deafness, contracture of limbs, mutism and limping were the most common, while officers mainly experienced nightmares, insomnia, heart palpitations, dizziness, depression and disorientation. Mutism and speech disorders were the most common form of war neurosis.
What was the most common treatment in the war?
Disciplinary treatment was the most common at the time. The doctors involved with this form of treatment had harsh moral views of hysteria and stressed quick cures as the goal of wartime psychiatry was to keep men fighting. Shaming, physical re-education and the infliction of pain were the main methods used.
Did shell shock occur in men?
However, it was soon concluded that this was not the case. Shellshock began to occur in men who had never come under fire, while some had never even been within hearing range of exploding shells. The breakdown was so gradual that 'shock' was also a misnomer. At first there was little sympathy for Shellshock victims.
What is shell shock?
Anaesthetic and other treatments of shell shock: World War I and beyond. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an important health risk factor for military personnel de ployed in modern warfare. In World War I this condition (then known as shell shock or 'neurasthenia') was such a problem that 'forward psychiatry' was begun by French doctors in ...
What was the name of the condition that was a problem during WW1?
In World War I this condition (then known as shell shock or 'neurasthenia') was such a problem that 'forward psychiatry' was begun by French doctors in 1915. Some British doctors tried general anaesthesia as a treatment (ether and chloroform), while others preferred application of electricity.
What was the diagnosis of shell shock?
In World War II and thereafter, diagnosis of "shell shock" was replaced by that of combat stress reaction, a similar but not identical response to the trauma of warfare and bombardment.
What is shell shock?
Specialty. Psychiatry. Shell shock is a term coined in World War I by British psychologist Charles Samuel Myers to describe the type of post traumatic stress disorder many soldiers were afflicted with during the war (before PTSD was termed). It is a reaction to the intensity of the bombardment and fighting that produced a helplessness appearing ...
Why were some men put on trial for shell shock?
Some men suffering from shell shock were put on trial, and even executed, for military crimes including desertion and cowardice. While it was recognised that the stresses of war could cause men to break down, a lasting episode was likely to be seen as symptomatic of an underlying lack of character.
What was the impact of shell shock on the British culture?
Society and culture. Shell shock has had a profound impact in British culture and the popular memory of World War I . At the time, war writers like the poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen dealt with shell shock in their work.
Why did doctors give electric shock to soldiers?
Doctors would provide electric shock to soldiers in hopes that it would shock them back to their normal, heroic, pre-war self.
Why were shell shock casualties evacuated?
At first, shell-shock casualties were rapidly evacuated from the front line – in part because of fear of their unpredictable behaviour. As the size of the British Expeditionary Force increased, and manpower became in shorter supply, the number of shell shock cases became a growing problem for the military authorities.
What is the letter W in shell shock?
In 1915 the British Army in France was instructed that: Shell-shock and shell concussion cases should have the letter 'W' prefixed to the report of the casualty, if it was due to the enemy; in that case the patient would be entitled to rank as 'wounded' and to wear on his arm a ' wound stripe '.
What is shell shock?
Shell shock was a term coined during the First World War that is now called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is a psychological condition resulting from the stress a soldier experiences during battle. Symptoms include (but are not limited to) tremors, loss of sight or hearing and extreme fatigue.
Who was the army major who helped the victims of shell shock?
Of course these treatment ideas didn't work, but it wasn't until a compassionate army major named Arthur Hurst established a facility in Devon, England that shell shock victims began to get well. Hurst believed that all the soldiers needed was a new purpose and quiet.
Who coined the term "shell shock"?
The term shell shock, which was coined by Dr. Charles Myers in 1916, can be defined as battle fatigue, but the experience is much more complex. At first, many people thought that soldiers were somehow damaged by bombs going off close to them.
Who was the first person to be faking shell shock?
The faking issue was prevalent among some victims such as Private Percy Meek who was one of the first documented cases of shell shock. An old BBC video shows Meek barely able to function after he was brought back to England from the front in France in 1916.
Who was the psychiatrist who treated shell shock?
One of the most prominent of these was the noted anthropologist and psychiatrist, William Halse Rivers.
What are the symptoms of shell shock?
The debilitating symptoms of what came to be known as "shell shock" could include temporary blindness, loss of speech, paralysis, uncontrollable tremors, hallucinations, memory loss, disturbances of gait, and recurring nightmares.
What does Daniel Hipp mean by Shell Shock?
In his book, The Poetry of Shell Shock , Daniel Hipp argues that this new kind of poetry provided soldiers the means to express the inexpressible experience of the war, and in turn, a means to heal from their traumas.
How many shell shock cases were there in the British army?
There were some 80,000 cases of shell shock in the British army alone by the end of the war. Soldiers often returned to the war zone after only a few days’ rest, and those who were treated for longer periods of time sometimes underwent hydrotherapy or electrotherapy.
What was the traumatic response to combat called?
In World War II, British and American described traumatic responses to combat as “ battle fatigue,” “combat fatigue” and “combat stress reaction”—terms that reflected the belief that the conditions were related to long deployments.
When was PTSD removed from the DSM II?
In the DSM-II, published in 1968 , the APA removed the diagnosis but included “adjustment reaction to adult life,” which did not efficiently capture PTSD-like symptoms. This removal meant that many veterans who suffered from such symptoms weren’t able to receive the proper psychological help that they needed.
Who was blinded in the Battle of Marathon?
Later, in a 440-B.C. account of the battle of Marathon, Greek historian Herodotus describes how an Athenian named Epizelus was suddenly stricken with blindness while in the heat of battle after seeing his comrade killed in combat. This blindness, brought on by fright and not a physical wound, persisted over many years.
When was shell shock first mentioned?
Shell shock was first mentioned in the media in 1915. As the war moved on, the number of shell shock cases grew. However, doctors still thought it was connected to some sort of physical damage the troops were experiencing in battle.
Why did soldiers suffer from shell shock?
Many soldiers suffered from it, as it was caused by the heavy explosions and constant fighting associated with the war. Troops suffering from shell shock struggled with sleep. They panicked on hearing gunshots, loud noises, shouting and similar. Sometimes it affected their ability to walk and talk.
What was the number of British soldiers reporting shell shock in 1914?
By 1914, the number of British troops reporting these symptoms had reached 4%, while for officers the number was 10% . Shell shock was first mentioned in the media in 1915. Shell shock was a side-effect commonly associated with ...
What were the symptoms of shell shock?
Common issues were tinnitus, which is hearing sounds when there is no actual sound to hear; headaches; dizziness; amnesia; and tremors.
Why did shell shock cases roll in?
As shell shock cases started to roll in, men were taken out of the frontline as quickly as possible. That became a logistics problem. As troop size increased, so did the shell shock cases. That was when the military powers began to try and develop ways to alleviate the problem. The soldier was given a few day’s rest.
Why did the British put soldiers on trial?
British soldiers suffering from shell shock were put on trial for cowardice and desertion. It was considered if you “claimed” shell shock, and it continued for longer than was usual, you were suffering from a lack of character or manliness. It was not commonplace for British troops to be executed for war crimes, but it did happen.
What is the stare on the left side of a shell?
Many people, therefore, viewed shell shock as something that was related to cowards. The man on the left side, with the white sling around him, has the stare commonly associated with someone who has shell shock.
