Post war syndromes

The physical wounds sustained by troops involved in front line action are tragically obvious. What is not so obvious are the psychological wounds, and even whether post war syndromes can be described as psychological disorders at all has caused a great deal of controversy. However, they must be dealt with if disclosed on an insurance application form. Although it is highly likely that the psychological trauma of war has affected soldiers since war began, it was not until the American Civil War that the phrase “soldier’s heart” was used, and this is probably the first time such a syndr...