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A review by emiged
Switching Time: A Doctor's Harrowing Story of Treating a Woman with 17 Personalities by Richard Baer
3.0
I'm not sure how to rate this book as I can't really say I "liked" it. It was incredibly disturbing, graphically detailing the horrific systematic physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and torture of a little girl for years. I was disgusted by the evil and depravity that led so many adults to hurt her in so many ways for their enjoyment, and also by the willful ignorance of so many other adults in her life who could have made a difference and didn't. It was inspiring reading of Karen's strength and courage to accept and unravel these dark, unspeakable events so she could start to heal. It was fascinating to learn how the human mind is capable of adapting and functioning under unbearable pain and stress and to be led though the decade-long process of merging her personalities.
Dr. Baer's almost inhuman commitment to this patient (she was the only one he kept when he closed his private practice and he saw her at his home after he ended the lease on his office space) floored me. He seemed to maintain an appropriately professional doctor/patient relationship while gaining the trust of all 17 personalities, but I wondered at the toll on his personal life. After several years, he agreed to see her for no charge because of the negative associations money held for her. In addition to their scheduled appointments, he spent hours and hours on the phone with her. While he didn't go into much detail, his marriage suffered because of this commitment and eventually ended, though I'm sure there were other factors. His devotion is laudable and he was obviously instrumental in her healing (I'm sure that moving her care to someone else would have set her back) but it makes me wonder where the line should be for physicians treating their patients. Not to cast aspersions on his intentions, but I also wondered how much of it was his true altruistic desire to help her and how much was his professional fascination with her case.
As for the book itself, I would have liked a more general background on multiple personality disorder (MPD) at some point to provide a better framework for Karen's situation, though I recognize that hers was an extreme case.
For more book reviews, visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
Dr. Baer's almost inhuman commitment to this patient (she was the only one he kept when he closed his private practice and he saw her at his home after he ended the lease on his office space) floored me. He seemed to maintain an appropriately professional doctor/patient relationship while gaining the trust of all 17 personalities, but I wondered at the toll on his personal life. After several years, he agreed to see her for no charge because of the negative associations money held for her. In addition to their scheduled appointments, he spent hours and hours on the phone with her. While he didn't go into much detail, his marriage suffered because of this commitment and eventually ended, though I'm sure there were other factors. His devotion is laudable and he was obviously instrumental in her healing (I'm sure that moving her care to someone else would have set her back) but it makes me wonder where the line should be for physicians treating their patients. Not to cast aspersions on his intentions, but I also wondered how much of it was his true altruistic desire to help her and how much was his professional fascination with her case.
As for the book itself, I would have liked a more general background on multiple personality disorder (MPD) at some point to provide a better framework for Karen's situation, though I recognize that hers was an extreme case.
For more book reviews, visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.