The term "shell shock" was coined by the soldiers themselves. Symptoms included fatigue, tremor, confusion, nightmares and impaired sight and hearing. It was often diagnosed when a soldier was unable to function and no obvious cause could be identified.

What is shell shock in simple words?

: very confused, upset, or exhausted because of something that has happened : very shocked. See the full definition for shell-shocked in the English Language Learners Dictionary. shell-shocked. adjective.

Is shell shock a real thing?

Shell shock is a term originally coined in 1915 by Charles Myers to describe soldiers who were involuntarily shivering, crying, fearful, and had constant intrusions of memory. It is not a term used in psychiatric practice today but remains in everyday use.