Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental condition that afflicts both soldiers and civilians who have been unfortunate enough to endure terrifying and harrowing experiences. Those who experience this disorder are prone to worsening flashbacks to the time of the incident that triggered the neurological disorder. Most soldiers are able to withstand the physiological stress of combat, yet a growing portion of people exposed to the violent belligerence of war are prone to post-traumatic stress disorder. In the novel 1984, George Orwell writes on several occasions about graphic depictions of war and human pain. Having served in the Spanish Civil War, Orwell was exposed to violent reactions long before PTSD was officially diagnosed or even recognized. Not only did the novel show clear symptoms of his syndrome, but Orwell also released the enormous stress he experienced daily due to the post-traumatic stress he experienced by writing his novel. 1984 was inspired solely by the need to abandon the internal pressures that Orwell had experienced earlier in life, in a society where the open display of such symptoms was a sign of cowardice and weakness in the face of battle. Throughout history there have been accounts of soldiers experiencing "shell shock", "battle fatigue", "gross stress reaction" and "soldier's heart". Soldiers who suffered from these combat-induced physiological traumas were labeled cowards, removed from positions, reprimanded, and even sent to court. Vietnam veterans began suffering from similar ailments soon after the war. This new wave of stricken soldiers has forced the public, as well as medical professionals and government officials, to take notice of what is now... middle of paper... Orwell Biography - A Biography of George Orwell." George Orwell - Complete works, biography, quotes, essays. Web. 01 March 2011. "The history of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)." Learn more about psychiatric disorders. Web. 01 March 2011. "NIMH • What are the symptoms of PTSD?" NIMH • Home. Web. 01 March 2011. .Orwell, George. 1984: a Novel. New York, NY: Published by Signet Classic, 1977. Print.Orwell, George. "George Orwell Comes shot by fascist sniper in the Spanish Civil War." Rich Geib's humble outpost in cyberspace. Web. 03 March. 2011. .