Which term describes rapid speech with frequent topic shifts?

• A. Flight of ideas
• B. Derailment
• C. Echolalia
• D. Clanging

Answer: (A)

Flight of ideas describes rapid, pressured speech with frequent topic shifts. This pattern is most often seen in mania or hypomania, where thoughts race and speech pours out quickly. The speaker moves from one idea to another so fast that the connections are only superficial, making the train of thought hard to follow for listeners even though the person feels a rapid flow of ideas. This is distinct from derailment, where the speech becomes disorganized and jumps to unrelated topics in a loose, wandering way without the sense of rapid, purposeful flow. Echolalia is the automatic repetition of someone else’s words, not a rapid shifting of topics. Clanging involves choosing words mainly for their sound or rhyming rather than meaning. So flight of ideas best captures the combination of speed and frequent topic changes described.