Automatism and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who committed a criminal act during a dissociative episode is described. This report and other published cases indicate that criminal acts can occur during dissociative episodes among people who suffer from PTSD. However, the evidence suggests that such incidents are rare and may be overemphasised. There often seems to be little relationship between the crimes committed by war veterans and their war experiences.