In a patient experiencing auditory hallucinations of being poisoned, what paranoid behavior is being exhibited?

The correct answer is delusion, as it relates to a fixed, false belief that is not in line with reality. In this scenario, the patient is experiencing auditory hallucinations specifically involving a belief that they are being poisoned. This indicates a strong conviction that influences their perception of reality and contributes to their paranoia.

Delusions are characterized by a firm belief in something that is not substantiated by evidence and persists despite contrary evidence. Auditory hallucinations paired with the specific belief of being poisoned demonstrate a delusional thought process where the individual perceives threats that are not present, thereby reflecting paranoid behavior.

Other options, such as catatonia, refer to a state of immobility or unresponsiveness rather than specific thoughts or beliefs. Disorganized thinking involves a lack of ability to organize thoughts, but in this context, the primary issue is the strongly held belief related to the paranoia. Negative symptoms, on the other hand, relate to deficits in normal emotional responses or behaviors, which again do not accurately capture the nature of the patient’s experience with auditory hallucinations focused on the idea of poisoning.