Cooper, the protagonist and narrator of These Silent Woods, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of his participation as a US soldier in the War in Afghanistan.

After the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, then-President George W. Bush approved the invasion of Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban government. The invasion became the longest armed conflict in United States military history, leading to the deaths of an estimated 200,000 people. Ultimately, the conflict ended with the Taliban taking back control of the country and the United States’s withdrawal of all troops in the nation.

According to some studies, more than 40% of veterans of the War in Afghanistan have been diagnosed with PTSD or suffer some symptoms of the disorder. PTSD is characterized by vivid flashbacks of being in the war, nightmares, panic attacks, and intense distress at reminders of the war—most of which Cooper experiences in the novel. Several features of that specific war account for the prevalence of PTSD in those who return home. For one, the terrain of Afghanistan is difficult, as it is largely rural and has desert conditions, as well as severe winters. The enemy that US soldiers in Afghanistan fought was often unclear, with militant groups often using guerilla warfare and hiding among civilians to wage their attacks.