An Army study published last year shows that as many as one in eight returning service members who faced combat in Iraq or Afghanistan are experiencing serious symptoms of depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This marks a first-time ever wartime study of the mental health of combat troops.

Four different groups comprising 6,021 Army and Marine combat members were surveyed at different intervals--before, during and after deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan. The study showed that 17 percent of those who served in Iraq met the criteria for major depression, anxiety or PTSD, while 15 percent of those who served in Afghanistan met the same criteria.

Less than half of those with problems sought help, citing fears of being viewed as cowardly or of harming their military careers.

Additional Information:

What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults like rape. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person's daily life. (Source: National Center for PTSD)

Resources:
National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD)
NCPTSD The War in Iraq
The National Gulf War Resource Center
Help for Veterans with PTSD and Their Families
PTSD - A Real Illness (from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health)
Lets's Talk Facts About PTSD (from the American Psychiatric Association)
Iraq War Veterans Organization