I know they didnt have the literal psychological tech we have but simple observation would have made them aware that people who saw combat would come back changed. Did any culture recognize this and do things about it? I heard one interpretation that the ancient Hebrew law made anyone who killed in battle wait outside the city for ten days, so stuff like that?
In: Biology
PTSD is significantly worse in the modern day than it was for pre-modern cultures for a few reasons.
First, men in pre-modern cultures are much more acclimated towards violence than men in modern cultures. It’s not remotely unusual for a man to reach military age in the modern U.S. never haven gotten into a physical fight. Going back more than a few decades and this would have been a rarity – much less going back to pre-industrial times. This familiarity with physical violence protects against PTSD.
Second, people in pre-modern cultures lived in far stronger communities than they we do today. Most people lived with the same group of people their entire lives. When they went to war, they went to war with that same group of people. When they came back from war, they were surrounded by the same people who had experienced the same things for the rest of their lives. Living in these sorts of communities protects against much of what we consider ‘mental health problems’ in the modern day.
Third, war was considerably less intense. In a modern war, you’re often continuously engaged for months or even years. Even behind the front lines, you potentially still at risk. On the front lines, you’re subject to the constant threat of death from enemies you often can’t even see. In contrast, pre-modern war involves relatively brief battles where you can see your enemy in front of you, you’re shoulder-to-shoulder with all of your lifelong buddies and when the battle is over you can relax.
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