Post traumatic stress disorder with psychotic features

Aim. To study the combined course and interaction of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychosis through detailed case studies. Method. We described 6 case studies of Israeli veterans with PTSD and psych osis, who were referred to our Center for the evaluation of their psychiatr ic status. Results. All the patients developed PTSD shortly after the exposure to a co mbat/military trauma. Psychosis appeared after months or even years, someti mes after a trauma-related trigger. Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions o r auditory hallucinations, were usually paranoid or depressive and related in content to the traumatic experience. Conclusion. The combined course of PTSD and psychotic disorder may reflect two distinct disorders, but in some cases it seems justified to make a diag nosis of PTSD with psychotic features. In addition, it seems that in certai n conditions, traumatic exposure and/or PTSD may serve as a trigger for psy chosis.