"First Known Case of PTSD" Depends on Who Knows It?

Why would a group of lawyers make a claim about "First Known Case of PTSD" then proceed to put down years without knowing they were wrong?

I have to admit, it is a good try.

What is now known as post-traumatic stress or PTSD was first called “nostalgia” by Swiss physicians in 1678. It wasn’t until the 1700s that physicians began to study the disorder and it was classified into three stages by Dominique Jean Larrey, a French surgeon under Napoleon and innovator regarding battlefield triage and medical. This includes heightened excitement and imagination, a period of fever and gastrointestinal issues, and frustration and depression. Throughout the centuries, as more and more individuals began to suffer from PTSD, there have been major developments regarding how we understand the condition, including important discoveries in the 1900s and into the 2000s.

• 1861-1865: The United States’ military physicians document stress in Civil War soldiers.

• 1905: The Russian Army considers “battle shock” to be a legitimate, concerning medical condition.

• 1917-1919: Soldiers’ distress is called “shell shock” during World War I.

• 1946: The National Mental Health Act is passed, opening the door for the expansion of mental health facilities.

• 1980: The official designation “post-traumatic stress disorder” is added to DSM-III.

• 2005: Post-traumatic stress disorder is brought to the attention of the public on PBS FRONTLINE and “The Soldier’s Heart” documentary.

And our list begins with:
King David  You cannot read his Psalms without seeing PTSD in most of them.

Achilles or the modern twist to his story comparing him to Vietnam veterans in "Achilles in Vietnam" which was written in 1995 by Dr. Jonathan Shay. Oh, and almost forgot to mention that he was working for the VA in Boston long before that. 

Then we have the other piece of "news" that Frontline brought attention to this in 2005, when in fact, my husband and I were fighting to have his claim approved in the 90's. But what the veterans community knew is much more intense than what civilians knew. That is because we were living with it. If you really want to watch something that predates the PBS documentary, watch an old movie. 

Here are two with the dates they were released.

THE ROBE 1953 flashbacks, mood-swings, nightmares, paranoia but also redemption and forgiveness. Oh, almost forgot, attempted suicide.

THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 1946

You can also learn more about what happened when from the Department of Veterans Affairs