My husband is a police detective, and in the last three months, he has been involved in investigating three brutal murders. The things he sees and deals with all day long are gruesome and cruel and I have noticed some changes in him lately. What are some of the symptoms that I should watch out for if I believe he may be suffering from PTSD? 

I have a family history of heart attacks and strokes. My questions is how does stress affect heart attacks and strokes? 

I recently returned from serving in Iraq for the third time. During my first two stints I could hardly wait to get home and be with my wife and two sons. This time I feel different. I feel lost and empty. Honestly, I have struggled to feel much of anything. I have been afraid to admit that something is wrong with me, but I am concerned about how I am feeling. I really don't care about much since coming home. I am wondering how many others who were in Iraq feel this way. The thing that is so hard for me is that I experienced and saw some things which I cannot talk about except with the people who were there. The problem is that I rarely see these people and even when we are together, we haven't talked about some of those difficult experiences. Can someone help me make sense of all this? 

Dear Doc: I have gone to the emergency room three times in two months and each time they say there is nothing wrong with me, "it is just anxiety." I'm not a child, I'm 34-years-old and I am sure there is something that is wrong with me. It can't just be in my head. I feel dizzy, my heart pounds, the room spins, I feel like I'm going crazy and I'm going to die. These attacks are happening more often and closer together. I'm so scared it is going to happen again. The doctor said it was Panic Anxiety but he didn't tell me what to do, all he wanted to do is give me a pill and get rid of me. I can't let these symptoms increase; I must stay in control. Scared. 

A few nights ago I was at a party and drank more than I should have. I woke up next to a guy I hardly know. I was embarrassed and tried to quickly get out of there. Since then, I havent been able to get my mind off what I did. I am sure we had sex, but I don't remember much about it. How did I let myself get so drunk that I don't remember what I did? I feel awful and find myself crying all of the time. What's more is that my schooling is now suffering. I sit in class and find myself thinking about what I did. How do I stop crying? I wish the whole thing would just go away.  

I was molested by an uncle when I was 8. I never told anyone. I now have trouble with relationships. How does molesting affect people? Sometimes I get depressed.  

I consider myself a well-informed person, but lately the news has been so troublesome that I have considered not listening or reading it any longer. I am a small-business owner and the constant pessimism and gloom reported concerning the economy has made me more than a little uneasy. I find myself lying awake at night worrying about my future and I am on edge, almost to the point that I am ineffective at work. How can I address my anxiety and focus on what is important in my life? 

Last year I lost my father after he suffered a stroke. I took it hard, but I seem to be getting worse rather than better. I am totally wiped of energy. I sleep all day. I don't see my friends or family. I cry for no apparent reason. I cannot climb out of this black hole, and all I want is to have my life back. What is wrong with me?