In a further study of the language behavior of manic patients, Lorenz subjects to a systematic analysis one recorded interview with each of ten patients with the hypomanic or manic reaction. From the spontaneous speech of these patients, he found that their language was not primarily designed for communication. Instead, many mechanizations, such as personal idioms and conventional phrases, detracted from the flexibility of expression. Words of exaggeration and emphasis, proper names, and quotations were abundant, and the style was redundant and monotonous. Ideation lacked forward movement and purpose, and associations were most frequently selected by superficial and discernible laws.

The prominence of the defense mechanism of denial in mania can be seen in