Psychiatric emergencies and post-traumatic stress disorder. A clinical case discussion

Compulsory medical treatment is a type of hospital admission laid down by Law Number 180 of 1978, regulating the approach to all patients who do not recognise their serious health condition and who refuse all treatments despite frequent recommendations by health staff. This procedure could be complicated by a post traumatic stress-type disorder, caused by the compulsory nature of the procedure which could be interpreted by the patient as a physical threat. Our experience in the matter has included a case in which the relatives of a patient experienced post traumatic stress disorder with symptoms so marked that our attention was drawn.