Racing thoughts without increased energy or activity occur frequently and often go unnoticed.7 They can be mistaken for severe worrying or obsessive ideation. Depending on the severity of the patient’s racing thoughts, treatment might include a mood stabilizer or antipsychotic. All 5 DSM-5 diagnoses listed in the Table5 may include this symptom pattern, but do not specifically mention it. A diagnosis or specifier, such as “racing thoughts without increased energy or activity,” might help clinicians better recognize and treat this symptom pattern.
Pearls
The evolution of manic and hypomanic symptoms
Current Psychiatry. 2020 January;19(1):41,52
Author and Disclosure Information
Dr. Wilf is a Consultant Psychiatrist, Warren E. Smith Health Centers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Disclosure
The author reports no financial relationships with any companies whose products are mentioned in this article, or with manufacturers of competing products.