Occupation-induced posttraumatic stress disorders

The authors describe a variant of posttraumatic stress disorder that presents as a somatoform disorder. Applying clearly specified diagnostic criteria, they found that seven of 21 patients who were severely disabled by medically unexplained symptoms following occupational exposure to toxic substances had atypical posttraumatic stress disorder, while three patients had typical posttraumatic stress disorder and the remainder suffered from somatoform disorders. Analysis of these cases revealed specific exposure factors and personality characteristics that favor the development of atypical posttraumatic stress disorder. The authors discuss the theoretical, clinical, and therapeutic advantages of this diagnosis.