Psychological+Impacts+of+WWI

__**Psychological Impacts of World War I **__
 * Today, post-traumatic stress disorder is a recognized psychological problem, although not until after World War I did it become commonly known. Soldiers who fought witnessed horrific deaths and injuries, which caused this post-traumatic stress disorder known then as “shell-shock.” This, however, is not to be confused with something that took place during the war; shell-shock is the coping with memories and constant reminders of what took place. **



An example of the horrors soldiers witnessed


 * In life after war, demobilized soldiers experienced recurring nightmares and flashbacks of their days in battle. Transition from war to ordinary life was a struggle. Some soldiers went through periods of severe depression, which interfered with daily routines. Other symptoms include irritability, a sense of guilt, and social difficulties. **

**// Corporal Henry Gregory served with the 119 Machine Gun Company. //** //"It was while I was in this Field Hospital that I saw the first case of shell-shock. The enemy opened fire about dinner time, as usual, with his big guns. As soon as the first shell came over, the shell-shock case nearly went mad. He screamed and raved, and it took eight men to hold him down on the stretcher. With every shell he would go into a fit of screaming and fight to get away. // //It is heartbreaking to watch a shell-shock case. The terror is indescribable. The flesh on their faces shakes in fear, and their teeth continually chatter. Shell-shock was brought about in many ways; loss of sleep, continually being under heavy shell fire, the torment of the lice, irregular meals, nerves always on end, and the thought always in the man's mind that the next minute was going to be his last." // //Read more: //http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk./FWWshellshock.htm


 * Although these symptoms were prominent, people denied their actuality. Shell-shock was not recognized as a real disease. Soldiers were told to believe these symptoms were signs of weakness as opposed to a life threatening disorder. They were discouraged from seeking the much needed treatment. Treatment for PTSD includes group therapy, individual psychotherapy, and proper administration of sedatives . **


 * Post traumatic stress disorder is a serious and common illness. It is truly upsetting that even though soldiers may be out of war, they must spend their entire life fighting for freedom. **

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRv56gsqkzs < Click to view a video on the psychological effects of soldiers who fought in WWI.

**//[|Philip Gibbs] was a journalist who reported the war on the [|Western Front]. //** //The shell-shock cases were the worst to see and the worst to cure. At first shell-shock was regarded as damn nonsense and sheer cowardice by Generals who had not themselves witnessed its effects. They had not seen, as I did, strongly, sturdy, men shaking with ague, mouthing like madman, figures of dreadful terror, speechless and uncontrollable. It was a physical as well as a moral shock which had reduced them to this quivering state. // //Read more: //http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk./FWWshellshock.htm

__Works Cited __

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Hoobler, Thomas. The Trenches. By Dorothy Hoobler. Toronto: Longman Canada Limited, 1978. 177. Print.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ross, Stewart. War in the Trenches. New York: Book Wright, 1991. 31. Print.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"Shellshock." Spartacus Educational - Home Page. Web. 7 Feb. 2011. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWshellshock.htm>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"Stress Injury to Health Trauma, PTSD." Bully OnLine: Bullying in the Workplace, School, Family and Community, Action You Can Take, Stress, Psychiatric Injury, PTSD, Resources, Case Histories, News and Contact the Media. Web. 7 Feb. 2011. <http://www.bullyonline.org/stress/ww1.htm>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Bourke, Professor Joanna. "BBC - History - World Wars: Shell Shock during World War One." BBC - Homepage. Web. 11 Feb. 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/shellshock_01.shtml>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"J Hist Med Allied Sci." Oxford Journals | Humanities & Medicine | Jnl of the History of Med. and Allied Sci. Web. 11 Feb. 2011. <http://jhmas.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2010/08/16/jhmas.jrq052.full>.