Section 1: Understanding TBI & PTSD

Overview

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have been called the "signature injuries" of the military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to a 2008 study by the RAND Corporation:

• Nearly one in five Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars is currently living with depression or stress disorders
• 19% of troops say they might have experienced a TBI, usually as the result of a powerful roadside bomb

People often group TBI and PTSD together because of their prevalence, and because they often co-exist in returning Service Members. However, TBI and PTSD are very different - TBI is a physical injury, while PTSD is a psychological health injury.