Heroes on the Homefront: Overcoming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Heroes on the Homefront: Overcoming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

March 10, 2008 12:17 AM EDT

Heroes on the Homefront: Overcoming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Local service members return from Iraq and Afghanistan with wounds, some, invisible to theeye. We take a look at the silent Post Traumatic Stress Disorder plaguing many men and women in uniform returning from war.

"Everywhere I went for quite a while, I was on edge."

A feeling of hyper-arousal is one of the many signs of the growing anxiety disorder PTSD. One marine wished to remain anonymous, but agreed to talk to us about his battle with post-traumatic stress since returning from Iraq.

"Well I definitely felt like an outsider, not because of the people around me, but because of the experiences I had, I felt out of place."

Doctors say PTSD stems from experiencing life-threatening trauma - a common occurrence for those fighting overseas.

Veterans Affairs psychiatrist Ahsan Naseem said, "Their chances of developing the disorder keep increasing because they've been re-traumatized all the time."

In a report released this week, the Army says one in four soldiers on repeat tours of duty screened positive for anxiety, depression or other mental health issues. The symptoms must persist for more than a month to be considered PTSD, but the signs can take much longer to arise.

Buffalo County Veterans Service Officer William Williams said, "They don't always feel symptoms when they first come home. They're just relieved to be home."
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