traumatic stress disorder

When Army Sgt. Kristofer Goldsmith returned home from four years of active duty in Iraq, he was a changed man: angry, depressed and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

It was a long and painful journey to reclaim his life. Here is his story.

Few people realize post-traumatic stress disorder can be triggered by a long or complicated childbirth. Now, moms and medical experts want to spread the word.

The war in Iraq has had a severe impact on the country's children. More than 650 children were reported killed there last year.

Iraq's children also have been the victims of kidnapping, torture and rape. In the first of two pieces, NPR's Lourdes Garcia Navarro reports, a clinic for children suffering post-traumatic stress disorder is opening this month in Baghdad.

The number of U.S. military personnel diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder jumped 47 percent in 2007 according to new statistics -- a change the Pentagon attributed to greater awareness and better record-keeping.

AP - The number of troops diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder jumped by roughly 50 percent in 2007, the most violent year so far in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pentagon records show.

That’s what the Pentagon is pondering, and although it’s nothing more than a gesture, making PTSD and other invisible battlefield scars worthy of this historic recognition would be something I’d welcome wholeheartedly.

From Wash Post:

WASHINGTON — Centuries before Iraq and Afghanistan, George Washington created the Purple Heart to honor troops wounded in combat.

Some sobering news about how many of our young men and women are dying from wounds they suffered on the battlefield that nobody could see until it’s too late.

From Bloomberg:

The number of suicides among veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may exceed the combat death toll because of inadequate mental health care, the U.S. government’s top psychiatric researcher said.

From AP:

A recently completed survey showed 18.5% — or 300,000 people — said they have symptoms of depression or PTSD, the researchers said.

Nineteen% — or 320,000 — suffered head injuries ranging from mild concussions to penetrating head wounds. […]

Reuters - About 300,000 U.S.