Harrowing images of the war in Iraq leave an impression on us all.

Hospital wards filled with injured, orphaned children, stricken families weeping for lost loved ones and the battered, bloodied bodies of brave soldiers.

The pictures are disturbing and sometimes unforgettable. We all deal with them in our own way.

Occasionally, those images find their way into our subconscious, disturbing our sleep or invading our waking thoughts.

Those who are mentally fit cope. Others have to fight their own personal battle to survive the onslaught of war images.

Many suffer in silence. But some reach out for help from people like psychotherapist Steve Clifford, a trauma expert.

His patients range from veterans of the Falklands and Gulf Wars to relatives of those serving in Iraq and those troubled by being at war.

He said: "The British are a warrior nation. We are very much stiff upper lip but there is often an unspoken fear, which is worrying for some people."

Saturation news coverage has left some, particularly those with pre-existing mental conditions, unable to cope with the constant bombardment.

But even among the mentally well-balanced, coverage of death and destruction means levels of anxiety have continued to rise.

Mr Clifford said: "A lot of people, particularly in the early days, were very concerned about the direction things were going. We are now seeing more and more people presenting conditions like clinical depression and, when you talk to them, it is clear they are very, very worried about the war."

Mr Clifford acknowledges it is important to be informed about developments but advises people to contain information within "windows".

"News coverage can go over and over the same issue from different angles. If you have someone actually out there, you can be almost hyper-sensitive.

"You don't have to watch every single news bulletin. You don't have to drive around with the radio on."

Mr Clifford, 45, works at the Eastbourne Clinic, Eastbourne, and also sees patients for corporate clients like British Airways, British Gas, Sussex Police and Sussex Ambulance Service.

Under normal circumstances, it is women who form the mainstay of Mr Clifford's patients.

He said: "Women are usually much more likely to come forward and say they are having difficulties. Now there is very much more balance between male and female."

Some of Mr Clifford's patients have difficulty separating their own problems from things beyond their control.

"Sometimes they feel they are somehow responsible for what has happened out there."

Worries invade the community, including children.

"One child recently asked where the nearest bomb shelter was. It is important parents sit down with their children, use a language they can understand and show them on a map where all this is happening."

Veterans from previous wars are also finding it a struggle.

Anxiety can show itself in physical symptoms, such as poor sleep or poor concentration.

As well as using medication to lower anxiety levels, Mr Clifford can treat trauma victims using EMDR - eye movement desensitisation reprocessing. The technique helps process trauma through eye and finger movement.

He said this war was very different from the previous Gulf conflict.

"Then there was much more world stability. Personally I feel the world today is much more fragile.

"My worst fear is something happening on the mainland. Then anxiety levels would go through the roof.

"I think this is a drain on people's resources. It saps away at people insidiously."

Mr Clifford's advice for mental good health:

Limit your news intake. Watch only selected news bulletins. Choose radio over TV for less harrowing coverage.

Afterwards retune to a music channel to dampen the psychological effect.

Don't listen to news last thing at night - it can interfere with sleep and provoke nightmares.

Discuss your worries with others. Seek help if you feel overloaded.

Talk to children about their worries. They can easily imagine the worst.