What is shell shock BBC Bitesize?
What is shell shock BBC Bitesize?
A shock to the system In the early years of World War One, shell shock was believed to be the result of a physical injury to the nerves and being exposed to heavy bombardment. Shell shock victims often couldn’t eat or sleep, whilst others continued to suffer physical symptoms.
What is shell shock ks3?
British, Canadian and German soldiers describe the physical and mental strain of being under shell fire. They describe the terror and the strange behaviour it caused in some men, and the small strategies others developed to cope with being trapped by incessant shell fire as a way of preventing the onset of shellshock.
What is the cause of shell shock?
English physician Charles Myers, who wrote the first paper on “shell-shock” in 1915, theorized that these symptoms actually did stem from a physical injury. He posited that repetitive exposure to concussive blasts caused brain trauma that resulted in this strange grouping of symptoms.
What percentage of soldiers had shell shock?
One historian estimates at least 20 percent of men developed shell-shock, though the figures are murky due to physician reluctance at the time to brand veterans with a psychological diagnosis that could affect disability compensation. Soldiers were archetypically heroic and strong.
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, an inability to reason, hysterical paralysis, a dazed thousand-yard stare is also typical.
What is the 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.