Historical accounts of individuals’ psychological reaction to overwhelming trauma are occasionally found in the western literature. The aim of this study was to find similar clinical cases from Korean history. The authors reexamined the 27 cases of suspected mental illness originally revealed in Hong’s 1981 study for possible diagnosis of post-traumatic reaction. His brilliant work was the result of a vigorous investigation of four major Korean historical volumes, Samguk Sagi, Samguk Yusa, Goryosa, and Sinjeung Donggukyeogiseungram, which combined to cover from the second century BC to the fifteenth century AD. As a result of the present research, the authors found six suspected cases of post-traumatic conditions: 3 of post-traumatic stress disorder, 2 of acute stress disorder, and one of major depressive disorder. In conclusion, the authors add six anecdotal cases to a body of research for the historical validity of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Introduction
Methods and Materials
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgements
References