(Image sourc BC) BY BRIAN BONDUS June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month, and the Department of Veterans Affairs is working to raise awareness of the condition. The organization is encouraging people to learn more about PTSD and has helpful tips for the diagnosis and treatment. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can cause a person to experience flashbacks, bad dreams and frightening thoughts when they're not in real danger. And the condition is growing. KNSD reported in 2011, 22,000 active duty service members were hospitalized for mental health issues. That's a 19 percent increase from 2010. PTSD can cause an array of problems. Sleep disorders can be a common symptom seen in PTSD patients. MedPage Today reports 92 percent of patients with PTSD experience sleep disturbances, including nightmares, insomnia or both. And an article in the journal Sleep reports many of these disorders stem from traumatic brain injuries. The article says the more traumatic brain injuries a soldier experiences, the more severe the disturbances become. CBS reports PTSD doesn't only affect sleep habits, but it's also affecting military members' chances of developing heart disease. By studying veterans, researchers found that military members with PTSD have twice the risk of heart disease compared to soldiers without the condition. "This study provides further evidence that PTSD may affect physical health." And it looks like PTSD can even affect a person's weight. According to the Medicine Garden, PTSD can cause high cortisol levels, a hormone that helps deal with stress. A symptom of high cortisol levels is weight gain. The PTSD Diary blogs about two people in love dealing with PTSD. This year the two made their New Year's resolution to get their weight under control. The couple is doing Weight Watchers online. When most people hear PTSD, they usually associate it with military personnel, but anyone who has experienced a traumatic event in their life can suffer from the condition.