Combat
stress reaction (CSR) is a term used within the military to describe acute behavioral disorganization seen by medical personnel as a direct result of the trauma of
war. Also known as "combat fatigue" or "battle neurosis", it has some overlap with the diagnosis of acute stress reaction used in civilian psychiatry. It is historically linked to shell shock and can sometimes precurse post-traumatic stress disorder (
PTSD).
Combat stress reaction is an acute reaction that includes a range of behaviors resulting from the stress of battle that decrease the combatant's fighting efficiency. The most common symptoms are fatigue, slower reaction times, indecision, disconnection from
one's surroundings, and the inability to prioritize. Combat stress reaction is generally
short-term and should not be confused with acute stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other long-term disorders attributable to combat stress, although any of these
may commence as a combat stress reaction. The US
Army uses the term/acronym COSR (Combat Stress Reaction) in official medical reports. This term can be applied to any stress reaction in the military
unit environment. Many reactions look like symptoms of mental illness (such as panic, extreme
anxiety,
depression, and hallucinations), but they are only transient reactions to the traumatic stress of combat and the cumulative stresses of military operations.
