When did the term PTSD come into regular use?
Lee is completely correct in recalling that the term “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” wasn’t coined until 1980 when the American Psychiatric Association added it to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III.
But “PTSD” has been around for far longer than 30 some odd years.
Heck, it probably goes back to the dawn of time!
In the Civil War, PTSD was known as “Soldier’s Heart.”
In World War I, PTSD was known as “Combat Fatigue” or “Shell Shock”
In World War II, PTSD was known as “Battle Fatigue” or “Gross Stress Reaction”
Unfortunately, prior to PTSD being called PTSD, it was thought the symptoms indicated cowardice or personal weakness.
It wasn’t until after the Vietnam War when people started taking notice. Called “Post-Vietnam Syndrome,” the new designation allowed Vietnam Veterans to push the medical and military to recognize it as a real disorder.
A big thanks to Psychiatric Disorders (d0t) com for this fascinating information!