You suspect a patient in an elated mood state may have flight of ideas. Before revealing the answer, decide how you would assess for it during the interview.

Let the patient speak with minimal interruption for a period, and note whether their speech keeps returning to a topic or continually branches off onto new, loosely associated ones. Listen specifically for rhyme, alliteration, and word-play driving the changes in topic, which is characteristic of the more severe forms. Distinguish the milder, ordered form (prolixity) by checking whether the patient can still be steered back to the original question despite frequent detours.