Which speech pattern is characterized by a sudden cessation of thought, manifesting as a break in the conversation?

The speech pattern characterized by a sudden cessation of thought, which presents as a break in conversation, is known as blocking. This phenomenon occurs when an individual suddenly halts their speech, unable to continue due to cognitive interference. It can be experienced as a long pause or abrupt interruption, where the person may appear to be searching for words or may completely lose their train of thought. It often indicates underlying cognitive or psychological issues and can be observed in various mental health conditions, such as thought disorders.

In contrast, flight of ideas refers to a rapid succession of thoughts with little connection, leading to fragmented speech that jumps from one idea to another. Confabulation involves spontaneously generating false memories to fill gaps in one’s memory, which can result in inaccuracies in conveying information. Neologisms are newly created words or phrases that may have meaning only to the speaker, often making communication unclear. Each of these alternatives involves different features of speech and cognition, distinguishing them from the sudden breaks caused by blocking.