Up to 70% of returning veterans experience symptoms of PTSD. These individuals also fall within the peak age range for the onset of schizophrenia.
PTSD with psychosis may occur for several reasons: trauma increases one’s risk for schizophrenia and PTSD; patients with schizophrenia have a higher incidence of PTSD and may present with characteristic psychotic symptoms overlapping with psychosis in schizophrenia.
Secondary to symptom overlap, there may be substantial misdiagnosis of psychotic disorders as PTSD, or nonidentification of a comorbid psychotic disorder.
This overlap calls into question traditional diagnostic boundaries with implications for initial and long-term treatment of PTSD and psychosis.
This review will discuss the recent literature relating to the association of PTSD with schizophrenia.