Shell Shock
Shell Shock became a very serious issue during World War I, hundreds of thousands of men were victims of it. Early on in the war people thought shell shock was a result of actual physical injury to the nervous system brought about by exposure to constant shelling. The symptoms ranged from physical abnormalities like tics and tremors, impaired vision and hearing, and paralysis, to emotional manifestations such as panic, anxiety, insomnia, and a near-catatonic state. Later on it was discovered that the shell shock was a psychological response to emotional trauma. After hearing this, the men got very little sympathy and were accused of being cowards. Some shell shocked soldiers who had left their posts were called "deserters" and were shot by a firing squad. The condition spread and included both officers and enlisted soldiers. Because of this, the British military built many military hospitals devoted to caring for these men.