Survey: Troops fear stress therapy will hurt careers

WASHINGTON (CNN) - U.S. troops fear that seeking help for mental health problems could harm their careers, according to a survey released Wednesday, and the Pentagon is expected to change its policies to ease that concern.

Three out of five members of the military worry it would have at least some impact, according to the small online survey conducted for the American Psychiatric Association. About half said they thought other people would think less of them if they sought help for mental health problems.

The report was released a day before a scheduled announcement by Defense Secretary Robert Gates aimed at encouraging more servicemembers to seek help for post-combat stress. Pentagon officials told CNN that troops who file for security clearances will no longer have to answer a question on the standard application for a security clearance that asks whether the applicant has been treated for combat-related mental health issues.

Currently, if a service member says they have received treatment they are required to answer the question in depth, in person, in an interview with a security agent.