WASHINGTON (AP) - Combat troops and veterans battling post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries can now turn to smartphone applications for help dealing with the age-old wounds of war.
A half-dozen apps with names like "T2 MoodTracker," `'PTSD Coach" and "Breathe2Relax" have been developed by the Pentagon and the Veterans Affairs Department. They offer at-your-fingertips information about what the military calls "invisible wounds" of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - and techniques for managing the symptoms. The apps aren't designed to replace treatment or make a diagnosis.
All but one were the work of the Pentagon, starting with MoodTracker, which lets users rate how they're feeling - worthless, happy, lonely and so on - and keep a record of their ups and downs over time.