Final answer:
McMurphy is deeply affected by the shock treatment, enduring consequences similar to those of soldiers with PTSD. This includes a variety of severe psychological effects and potential long-term damage which reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of mental health issues characteristic of earlier psychiatric approaches.
Step-by-step explanation:
McMurphy is significantly impacted by the shock treatment, suffering from both physical and psychological effects. The application of this treatment is meant to be a therapeutic intervention, but it often leaves the patient disoriented, with a potential loss of memory and changes in personality.
Much like soldiers experiencing shell shock, now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), patients undergoing shock treatment can exhibit a variety of symptoms. These could range from mild disorientation to more severe psychological distress, which could include flashbacks, inability to speak, or a loss of contact with reality. Psychological pain and trauma are harder to deal with than physical wounds, requiring extensive therapy and time to heal.
The impact of such treatments reflects the depth of misunderstanding prevalent in earlier psychiatric practices, where the approach to mental health was less informed and often more brutal than today. As seen in historical treatments for soldiers with PTSD, past establishments often misinterpreted severe stress responses as mere weakness, applying harsh methods like shock treatments without fully comprehending the potential for long-term damage.