While the nurse at the personality disorders clinic is interviewing a patient, the patient ...

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The diagnosis of paranoid personality disorder is defined by features such as pervasive mistrust of others; perceiving the motives of others as malevolent; believing that he is being exploited or victimized; perceiving inconsequential or neutral actions as containing slights, insults, or hidden threats; and an inability to trust even those closest to him. In that these patients perceive others as aligned against them, they tend to be defensive and accusative of others. The patient with histrionic personality disorder would be flamboyant and attention seeking. Persons with avoidant personality disorder would be excessively anxious and hypersensitive to criticism. The patient with narcissistic personality disorder would be grandiose, aloof, and disparaging of others.