How do you distinguish ego states from mood states in clinical practice?

[DrGachet]

Naturally, when a person is in a certain mood state, she's more likely to recall certain memories. For instance, when feeling victimized, memories of unfair and unjust treatments in the past, and associated feelings, can assail her conscious. Perhaps this has to do with presence of the observing ego. Is the person able to recall other sorts of memories, even if they are devoid of associated feelings? Like recalling moment when he was feeling in control and empowered or really happy--yet not reacting appropriately to the recall beyond the robotic recounting of the memory. What if the memory recall is far from perfect? Or the construed meaning radically different? Would you stick to asking questions about major factual events which can not be denied?

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[nitemagi]

I've heard some parts of your question described as state-dependent memory, meaning there are memories not easily accessible except when in a certain state.

Memory is a slippery thing, though. People create narratives quite divorced from reality. Read the forensic literature on memory and false memory syndrome and you'll see how suggestible people are. Which means the manner in which you ask questions matters quite a lot. What I find important is what feels true for them. I will neither confirm nor refute the reality of it, but instead work with the feelings involved. Meet the patient where they are, because that's what you have to work with.