A 22-year old college student calls his psychiatrist because he notes that for the past week, after cramming hard for finals, that his thoughts have been racing and he is irritable. The psychiatrist notes that the patient's speech is pressured as well. The patient has been stable for the past 6 months on 500 mg of valproate twice a day. What is the first step the psychiatrist should take in the management of this patient's symptoms?