The DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS (DSM- III-R) is the Bible of the mental health industry. It contains objective definitions for the major recognized mental illnesses. There are precise criteria for deciding if a person is afflicted with each disease, and these standards are demanding enough that, aside from depression, which is widespread, most of us will never be classified as having a significant mental disorder. Nonetheless, we are likely see a bit of ourselves in DSM, for all of us have shown at least some of the symptoms from time to time.

In DSM, paranoia crops up in several classes of disease, including schizophrenia, delusional disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Of greatest interest to our discussion is PARANOID PERSONALITY DISORDER. Following are the criteria for this diagnosis:

> Paranoid Personality Disorder is a pervasive and unwarranted tendency, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, to interpret the actions of people as deliberately demeaning or threatening, as indicated by at least FOUR of the following:

(1) expects, without sufficient basis, to be exploited or harmed by others.

(2) questions, without justification, the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates.

(3) reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events, e.g. suspects that a neighbor put out trash early to annoy him.

(4) bears grudges or is unforgiving of insults or slights.

(5) is reluctant to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used against him or her.

(6) is easily slighted and quick to react with anger or to counterattack.

(7) questions, without justification, fidelity of spouse or sexual partner.