Ok, this is probably a stupid question that I should know the answer to if I'm a World War 2 freak. But could someone define shell shock for me? Like I've seen it happen in movies, in games, everywhere, but I have never actually known exactly what it is.

These days it's called CSR or battle fatigue.

This according to wikipedia.
The military term combat stress reaction (CSR) comprises the range of adverse behaviours in reaction to the stress of combat and combat related activities. In the military setting it generally does not include the range of adaptive reactions and behaviours in reaction to such stresses. Combat stress behaviours can also include misconduct stress behaviours which are not dealt with in this article. Some US military publications still refer to battle fatigue as the main focus of management. Combat stress reaction is heavily linked to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Hmm, pretty confusing, I think I understand it more now. Thanks for the post. :P

Combat Stress Reaction

An acute reaction of anxiety that may feature numbing, fainting, restlessness, psychomotor retardation, stuttering, withdrawal, vomiting, disorientation, paranoid thoughts and guilt.

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/wordb...881&wbletter=C

http://www.campbell.army.mil/eo/EVEP...coholAbuse.pdf

http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/...ract/144/4/448

This is a quick primer on the subject and the background info for the Wikipedia claims.

Originally Posted by bulldogg

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/wordb...881&wbletter=C

http://www.campbell.army.mil/eo/EVEP...coholAbuse.pdf

http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/...ract/144/4/448

This is a quick primer on the subject and the background info for the Wikipedia claims.

Sweet. Nice links. Thanks :P

Bazooka, the people I've dealt with who have suffered shell shock / battle fatigue, are not really that different from others in civilian life who have suffered horrifying experiences like a death, near-death, car accident, explosion, etc, except that in the case of the soldier/sailor the condition was triggered by military action or in a war zone - the symptoms are the same and are basically depression, shock, fear, paranoia, night-mares, flash-backs, sadness, immobility, loss of sociability, stuff like that. many overcome the worst symptoms over time and with good help from friends, family and professionals.

scary thought.

So is there a certain line after which everybody gets this shell shock, or depends on the person and it varies?

I can't say for sure but a lot of depression and anxiety disorders in the non-combat world is more physiological, or chemical imbalance, than psychological so it would stand to reason that some are more prone to be affected than others. They would be the first to suffer and have a worse case than others.

My Mother suffered from depression and myself and one Brother have the same disorder. The Psychiatrist (yeah, that's right, a shrink) that I see every three months said that I will be on drugs for the rest of my life.
Presently, I am taking 400mg of Wellbutrin, 3mg of Klonopin, and a new one that is the generic of Paxil, I think 5mg. This is all spread out over a day and works but makes me have a few annoying side effects which is worth it. At one time, I was taking 800mg of Wellbutrin, 500mg is on the verge of causing seizures but it's all a balancing game of chemicals because anxiety disorder causes depression which aggravates the anxiety attacks.

Anyone else have this crap or something like it? Anyhow I suspect that the symptoms are similar to battle fatigue. Poor guys. Someone (brave) needed to kick Patton in the nuts when he slapped that kid.

Originally Posted by Padre

Bazooka, the people I've dealt with who have suffered shell shock / battle fatigue, are not really that different from others in civilian life who have suffered horrifying experiences like a death, near-death, car accident, explosion, etc, except that in the case of the soldier/sailor the condition was triggered by military action or in a war zone - the symptoms are the same and are basically depression, shock, fear, paranoia, night-mares, flash-backs, sadness, immobility, loss of sociability, stuff like that. many overcome the worst symptoms over time and with good help from friends, family and professionals.

I never said that they were different than other people. I was just asking what shell shock/battle fatigue/CSR was.