How did men get shell shock?

Shell shock, now understood as a form of psychological trauma or PTSD, was primarily experienced by soldiers during World War I due to the intense and prolonged exposure to bombardment, combat stress, and the horrific sights of war. Men developed symptoms like tremors, anxiety, and disorientation as a result of the relentless noise, fear, and chaos of the battlefield. The term reflected the belief that the condition was caused by the physical effects of explosions, but it was later recognized as a complex psychological response to traumatic experiences.