The term shell shock (sometimes also called combat neurosis or war neurosis) was first used to describe a wide range of symptoms seen in soldiers during World War I. Although symptoms were diverse, they were believed to share a common cause: close proximity to exploding shells. It was believed that when a shell exploded, a vacuum was created, and that when air rushed into this vacuum, the cerebro-spinal fluid was disturbed, which then upset brain functioning. [Source: Cultural Sociology of Mental Illness: An A-to-Z Guide; Shell Shock]
shell shock
concepts
combat neuroses