Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in the Military Veteran

Before the formalization of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a diagnosis in 1980, war related psychiatric symptoms were known under a variety of names, including shell shock, traumatic war neurosis, and combat exhaustion. Whatever the label, it is clear that these labels referred to a condition much like what we now recognize as PTSD. For example, Kardiner and Spiegel described a chronic traumatic war neurosis that involved preoccupation with the traumatic stressor, nightmares, irritibility, increased startle responsiveness, a tendency to angry outbursts, and general impairment of functioning.