Shell Shock

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"European nations began World War I with a glamorous vision of war, only to be psychologically shattered by the realities of the trenches. The experience changed the way people referred to the glamor of battle; they treated it no longer as a positive quality but as a dangerous illusion" (Postrel web). These words written by American author Virginia Postrel, reflects the perspective on World War I. Furthermore, the reality of the war was psychologically terrorizing and created a fear that no one has felt before the First World War. This fear is called shell shock, a type of post traumatic stress soldiers experience in the 1940s. Many authors of the 1940's would write about this disease because of its familiar occurrence during the war. Although,…show more content…
Ernest Hemingway, author to American novel A Farewell to Arms shows readers that the shell shock disease is more a psychological ailment then physical by looking at the effects and treatments. Symptoms like addictions, sensory loss, and Neurasthenia were all common physical effects of the disease. Furthermore, these physical symptoms were very common in many soldiers including Fredrick Henry. Many soldiers had more the the psychological effects then the physical such as tremor, delusions, and depression. Soldiers even today struggled with depression from the terrors of war. Shell Shock does not only have to be from war, it can also happen from a loss of a loved one. There was no cure for Shell Shock but there were many temporary treatments for the disease like Electrotherapy, physical therapy and psychological therapy. After soldiers were diagnosed with Shell Shock they went through many therapy sessions and electrotherapy to temporarily stop seeing the terrors of war in their mind. Soldiers have to hold the stress for everyone during the war and at a point in time they need to breakdown. Reality is hard to take in all at once. To this end, American author Jane Wager states, "Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it" (Wagner

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