Question

A nurse is assessing a client who has bipolar disorder. Which of the following alterations in speech is the client using?

"The sky is blue. I like the color red. I'm feeling hot. Everything is on fire. I need a drink of water."

-Tangentiality
-Flight of ideas
-Word salad
-Perseveration

Answer 1

The client with bipolar disorder is displaying a flight of ideas, which is a rapid and continuous switching of topics in conversation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The alteration in speech that the client with bipolar disorder is exhibiting is known as flight of ideas. This is a speech pattern characterized by a rapid shift from one topic to another before the previous thought has been concluded. In the example provided, the client moves quickly from talking about the color of the sky, to a favorite color, to feeling hot, to everything on fire, and finally to needing a drink of water.

This is a common symptom during the manic phase of bipolar disorder and illustrates how the client's thoughts are moving quickly from one loosely connected idea to another.