Pressure of speech

Pressure of speech is a tendency to speak rapidly and frenziedly, as if motivated by an urgency not apparent to the listener. The speech produced is difficult to interrupt. Pressure of speech is a tendency to speak rapidly and frenziedly, as if motivated by an urgency not apparent to the listener. The speech produced is difficult to interrupt. Such speech may be too fast, erratic, irrelevant, or too tangential for the listener to understand. It is an example of cluttered speech, and often associated with certain mental disorders particularly mania and schizophrenia. It can be unrelenting, loud and without pauses. Pressure of speech is a classic hallmark of mania and is often seen during manic periods in patients with bipolar disorder. The pace of the speech indicates an underlying thought disorder known as “Flight of ideas” wherein the flowing of ideas and information through one's mind is so fast that it is difficult to follow their train of thought. This is also tied to an inability to focus on one topic or task. People with schizophrenia, as well as anyone experiencing extreme anxiety, may also exhibit pressure of speech. Pressure of speech usually refers to the improperly verbalized speech which is a feature of hypomanic and manic illness. Pressure of speech has commonly been observed in people diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Psychostimulants such as cocaine or amphetamines may cause speech resembling pressured speech in individuals with pre-existing psychopathology and produce hypomanic or manic symptoms in general, owing both to the substance's own qualities and the underlying nature of an individual's psyche. In many psychotic disorders, use of certain drugs amplifies certain expressions of symptoms, and stimulant-induced pressured speech is among them. Pressured speech may also lead to the development of a stutter. The person's need or pressure to speak causes him or her to involuntarily stutter. Therefore, the person's need to express themselves is greater than their ability to vocalise their thoughts.