The internal script in depressive disorders is characterized by negative views of the self, the world, and the future. These beliefs form an internal monologue that leads to destructive emotions, behaviors, and physiology. Depressive attentional mechanisms selectively focus on confirmatory information from these, leading to an endlessly downward spiral as the depressed individual attempts to derive meaning from internal and external events. The depressive monologue gives rise to vivid imaginary reenactments and distortions of past failures and disappointments and leaves little room for a sense of personal agency and hope for a brighter future.
Hypnosis offers a means of introducing vivid and plausible new narratives grounded in present realities and future possibilities. Using case examples, we will explore several hypnotic approaches for engaging depressed individuals in a renewed focus on their role in shaping a plausible sense of agency and hopeful view of self in relation to the world.