Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that arises from the experience of life traumatic events. Research shows high-incidence of co-morbidities between PTSD: suicidal ideation, substance abuse, mood disorders and psychosis that complicate it, leading on occasion, when concerning stressful situations of an exceptional threat or catastrophic nature, to Enduring personality change after a catastrophic event. PTSD may precede this type of personality change, which may be seen as a chronic sequel of a stress disorder.

The aim of this work is to present and discuss a clinical case: its assessment, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, evolution and outcomes, using it to illustrate the development of PTSD, and its relationship with other co-morbidities, consenting to promote the discussion of this nosological entity, providing recommendations for assessment and treatment of individuals with a trauma history, such as life-threatening events.

It is reported a case of a 66 year old male patient, veteran of the war in Mozambique that was admitted at the Psychiatry Department in Portugal after a suicidal attempt. Patient presented traumatic reexperience, hyperarousal, avoidance and emotional numbing. Moreover, online search was done of the literature review, using Medline and Pubmed, exploring papers concerning PTSD. PTSD may be predisposed by affective, cognitive and environmental factors that occur in response to a traumatic event, but also to pre-existing psychological vulnerability. This patient is an example that recounts a response to the prolonged traumatic exposure which personality change has been enduring as maladaptive features leading to an impairment functioning.