April 21, 2011 (Federal Computer Week) – Veterans and service members with post-traumatic stress disorder can now get support from a new iPhone application from the Veterans Affairs and Defense departments. The VA’s National Center for PTSD and DOD’s National Center for Telehealth and Technology created the new PTSD Coach application to provide remote support for veterans and service members with PTSD, whether diagnosed or pre-diagnosed, the VA has announced.

PTSD is a condition that develops months or years after a trauma and can last for decades. The most recent studies of veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars indicated that about 14 percent received the diagnosis, which includes symptoms such as disturbing memories and flashbacks.

The PTSD Coach application was developed for iPhone, iPad and iTouch to provide a self-assessment for the condition, support and treatment options, and tools for managing daily stress from the condition, according to an April 19 news release. The tools support relaxation and positive self-help strategies, and can be customized with contact phone numbers and e-mail addresses, photographs and music, the departments said. An Android version is coming soon.