Home > Encyclopedia of Psychology > Combat Neurosis

The preferred term to describe mental disturbances related to the stress of military combat; also known by such alternative terms as combat fatigue syndrome, shell shock, operational or battle fatigue, combat exhaustion, and war neurosis.

Combat neurosis describes any personality disturbance that represents a response to the stress of war. It is closely related to post-traumatic stress disorder, and is often characterized under that term. Symptoms of the disturbance may appear during the battle itself, or may appear days, weeks, months, or even years later. An estimated ten percent of all personnel who fought in World War II experienced symptoms of combat neurosis, known...