Apps help deal with post-traumatic stress disorder

(CBS/AP) - The Pentagon and the Veterans Affairs Department are helping troops who deal with terrifying battlefield memories with smartphone apps.

Apps like T2 Mood Tracker, PTSD Coach and Breath2Relax can help military personnel manage their symptoms.

They're not meant to replace counseling or diagnose illness, but they can let post-traumatic stress sufferers deal with their issues privately.

A recent battlefield survey finds nearly half the soldiers polled feared seeking psychological help would make them appear weak to their buddies and their leaders.

The apps include the ability to create a phone list of friends to call for support or to contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline in an emergency.