Many soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (or OEF/OIF) are suffering from the effects of traumatic brain injuries (or TBI). In fact, it is estimated that anywhere between 12 and 20% of OEF/OIF veterans have experienced a TBI. This is a serious problem because the experience of a TBI, even a mild one, may contribute to or exacerbate mental health problems among returning veterans. You can read more about TBIs and their effect on the mental health of returning veterans in this article.

For example, consumers should look for a book that is written by someone who has received adequate training in the topic he or she is writing about and/or has spent many years investigating the treatment that he or she is writing about. In addition, consumers should be wary of books that propose a solution for all problems, as opposed to specific ones. There are coping skills that work really well for some disorders but not for others. Finally, consumers should be skeptical of programs that cost a large amount of money but do not really provide any specific, well-defined skills.

All of the self-help books presented on this site are written by established researchers and clinicians with years of experience in the topic they are writing about. In addition, there is research that backs up these skills. You can read more about these self-help books in this article.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (commonly referred to as the DSM) is a book that describes the symptoms for all mental disorders, as well as the criteria that must be met to receive a diagnosis of each disorder. The DSM is currently in its 4th edition. However, the American Psychiatric Association is currently making revisions to the DSM for a new edition that will be coming out in 2013. Some of these changes may impact the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. The revisions that are being considered for the fifth edition of the DSM were recently made public by the American Psychiatric Association on their website, DSM5.org. Check out the proposed changes to the PTSD diagnosis and share your thoughts on the About.com PTSD forum. You can read more about the proposed changes to the DSM on CNN.com.