Switching Time: A Doctor's Harrowing Story of Treating a Woman with 17 Personalities: Richard Baer

By: Elizabeth Headrick | 10.12.07 | Non Fiction: Biography & Autobiography | link | contact the reviewer


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Book Description

One afternoon in 1989, Karen Overhill walks into psychiatrist Richard Baer’s office complaining of vague physical pains and depression. Odder still, she reveals that she’s suffering from a persistent memory problem. Routinely, she “loses” parts of her day, finding herself in places she doesn’t remember going to or being told about conversations she doesn’t remember having. Her problems are so pervasive that she often feels like an impersonator in her own life; she doesn’t recognize the people who call themselves her friends, and she can’t even remember being intimate with her own husband.

Baer recognizes that Karen is on the verge of suicide and, while trying various medications to keep her alive, attempts to discover the root cause of her strange complaints. It’s the work of months, and then years, to gain Karen’s trust and learn the true extent of the trauma buried in her past. What she eventually reveals is nearly beyond belief, a narrative of a childhood spent grappling with unimaginable horror. How has Karen survived with even a tenuous grasp on sanity?

The real question should be: how has Karen survived with Dr. Baer's tenuous grasp on his ego?

The book is purported to be about the experiences of Karen Overhill and her battles to discover the reasons for her depression and the discovery of the multiple personalities that dwell within her. The impression I received was more that of Dr. Baer and his journey to discover what a great doctor and person he was for helping her. He spends much time expounding on the sacrifices he has made to home and family so that he can concentrate on her treatment and how available he has made himself to her. He also goes into great detail about the emotional strain that her low self-worth and suicidal despondency has on him; as if this could ever be of equal value and pain to the extreme and sadistic sexual torture that Karen Overhill suffered as a child.

In addition to Baer's overwhelming narcissism, there is also the issue of his writing technique. He writes the book as if his intended target audience is mentally-challenged fifth-graders. The whole book has a very "See Jane run" feel to it that made it impossible for me to feel any connection or sympathy with the victim. In addition, he power-skims through large portions (read:years) of the therapy and will then refer back to specific moments here and there which can lead to confusion.

I've always been fascinated by personality disorders and will grab up any books on the subject. I could have done without this one though. Even though it's a true account, I felt nothing for the victim. I'm giving this book 1 star for the simple fact that Dr. Baer did indeed help her and that deserves some praise because no matter how self-centered the doctor may be, the disorder itself is still a mystery and there is no map for figuring it out.
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Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (October 2, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307382664
ISBN-13: 978-0307382665