Final answer:
Clinicians diagnose personality disorders based on patient's statements and nonverbal cues. Nonverbal communication provides insight into emotional states and thought patterns essential for diagnosis. Understanding verbal and nonverbal cues is key in evaluating patients' mental states.
Step-by-step explanation:
Clinicians may diagnose a patient with a personality disorder based both on what the patient says and on nonverbal cues in the way that he or she says it. Nonverbal communication such as tone of voice, pace, volume, facial expressions, and body language can provide essential information about a person's emotional state and thought patterns, which are key components in diagnosing personality disorders. It's important to note that personality disorders embody enduring patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that are significantly different from societal expectations and cause distress or impairment, and they are not attributable to substance use or other medical conditions.
A deep understanding of these verbal and nonverbal cues is crucial for healthcare professionals when assessing patients. Moreover, recognizing the certain types of language or 'healthy talk' as highlighted in therapy sessions is indicative of progress in patients dealing with addiction and helps clinicians evaluate their mental state and recovery process.