Article ID: CBB000932788

Shell-Shock and Psychological Medicine in First World War Britain (2009)

unapi

Historians have viewed the experience of shell-shock in First World War Britain as a crucial episode in the development of `modern' psychological medicine, arguing doctors initially believed shell-shock was caused by the physical effects of shell explosions, and only gradually realised these were psychological disorders, treatable by psychotherapy. This article argues that conceptual frameworks of pre-war medicine provided models of mind-body relations which allowed doctors to recognise the emotional origins of shell-shock on the outbreak of war. Distinct schools of `physical' and `psychological' thought only emerged in 1916; physical theories persisted beyond 1918; and the war had an uneven effect on engagement with psychodynamic theories. Adoption of psychological vocabulary outstripped understanding, and widespread dissemination also resulted in hostility. Shell-shock marked an important moment in the emergence of the distinct disciplines of psychology and psychiatry in Britain, but this did not involve a radical departure from pre-war concepts of mental health.

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Authors & Contributors
Jones, Edgar
Loughran, Tracey
Linden, Stefanie Caroline
Mark C. Wilkins
Michael Robinson
Adello Vanni
Concepts
War neuroses
World War I
Psychiatry
Medicine and the military; medicine in war
Mental disorders and diseases
Hysteria
Time Periods
20th century, early
20th century
19th century
Places
Great Britain
Italy
Germany
Australia
Edinburgh
London (England)
Institutions
Royal Edinburgh Asylum
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