Girl, Interrupted
7 journalers for this copy...
Received recently in trade from swaptree.com
The title of the book implies that Susanna was just a girl, but taken out of her life for two years, then returned to it. Was the girl interrupted by a mental illness, or just by the hospitalization?
Throughout the book, she seems to be taking the tone that she was unfairly accused of having borderline personality disorder. Hastily locked up after being seen by a new doctor one time, for half an hour. Forced to attend pointless therapy sessions. Clearly too smart and high-functioning to be there – pointing out to the therapist that his three different cars represent the id, ego, and superego, and then watching him blink stupidly.
When I began this book, I was all set to read about abuses in the name of quack psychiatry, maybe catch a glimpse of Walter Freeman’s “lobotomobile” through the barred windows of McLean, and then draw some parallels with today’s drug fad. And that was the direction the author seemed to be going, at least in terms of tone. But when I finished the book, I found myself wondering whether that tone was justified.
Susanna was not just a girl. She had a suicide attempt, and though she points out that it was never an actual threat to her life, it was certainly a symptom of a serious problem. And she says she devoted about an hour every evening to banging her wrists against a metal chair frame. These don’t sound like things just any girl would do.
When she was released from the hospital, she carried on with her life. As stupid as the whole hospitalization episode seemed to her, and as much disdain as she seemed to hold toward it, might it not have been actually helpful? But of course it’s impossible to speculate about what might have happened to her if she had not had access to what was, at the time, the best psychiatric care in the world.
She meets two of her former inmates later, on the outside. Georgina is offensive, abrupt and officious. I had much more regard for the later Lisa. Maybe Lisa was actually ill, and therefore treatment helped, whereas Georgina was just a jerk, and psychiatric treatment doesn’t cure that. But maybe before starting treatment, they just couldn’t exactly tell who was really sick and who wasn’t. Diagnosis, as the book points out, was and surely still is, flawed and imprecise. On the other hand, maybe the outcome defines the disorder. These days, it seems fairly clear that new disorders come into being as pharmaceutical companies come up with new ways to market drugs.
An observation on the side: I was absolutely mystified by Valerie’s refusal to tell Susanna how long she had been under anesthesia when she went to the dentist. What possible reason could there be for not answering that question when she asked it?
Throughout the book, she seems to be taking the tone that she was unfairly accused of having borderline personality disorder. Hastily locked up after being seen by a new doctor one time, for half an hour. Forced to attend pointless therapy sessions. Clearly too smart and high-functioning to be there – pointing out to the therapist that his three different cars represent the id, ego, and superego, and then watching him blink stupidly.
When I began this book, I was all set to read about abuses in the name of quack psychiatry, maybe catch a glimpse of Walter Freeman’s “lobotomobile” through the barred windows of McLean, and then draw some parallels with today’s drug fad. And that was the direction the author seemed to be going, at least in terms of tone. But when I finished the book, I found myself wondering whether that tone was justified.
Susanna was not just a girl. She had a suicide attempt, and though she points out that it was never an actual threat to her life, it was certainly a symptom of a serious problem. And she says she devoted about an hour every evening to banging her wrists against a metal chair frame. These don’t sound like things just any girl would do.
When she was released from the hospital, she carried on with her life. As stupid as the whole hospitalization episode seemed to her, and as much disdain as she seemed to hold toward it, might it not have been actually helpful? But of course it’s impossible to speculate about what might have happened to her if she had not had access to what was, at the time, the best psychiatric care in the world.
She meets two of her former inmates later, on the outside. Georgina is offensive, abrupt and officious. I had much more regard for the later Lisa. Maybe Lisa was actually ill, and therefore treatment helped, whereas Georgina was just a jerk, and psychiatric treatment doesn’t cure that. But maybe before starting treatment, they just couldn’t exactly tell who was really sick and who wasn’t. Diagnosis, as the book points out, was and surely still is, flawed and imprecise. On the other hand, maybe the outcome defines the disorder. These days, it seems fairly clear that new disorders come into being as pharmaceutical companies come up with new ways to market drugs.
An observation on the side: I was absolutely mystified by Valerie’s refusal to tell Susanna how long she had been under anesthesia when she went to the dentist. What possible reason could there be for not answering that question when she asked it?
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Released at the July 2009 Boston Bookcrossing Saturday Chapter Meetup.
Released at the July 2009 Boston Bookcrossing Saturday Chapter Meetup.
I thought this was an interesting book.
A fast read -- not a light read.
It's interesting to see how life was in a Mental Hospital during the 60's
from somoene inside/patient point of view.
The stories about the hospital were interesting.
The narrator was probably the least interesting of the patients, unless she left a lot out.
Her self analysis or refuting of her diagnosis dragged on and really lost me.
I think she felt compelled to get her records as print them as part of the story--although I'm not sure what point she is making -- since all treatment and diagnosis has changed broadly, there are different standards, theories, etc.
Think the book would have been a little better on the memoir side -- if she went more into depth and more about herself plus the other folks post-release versus venting about her diagnosis right/wrong. Unfortunately, she wasn't alone, many patients with mental issues were experimented on or not given proper treatment by today's standards.
On closing note, the follow up on Lisa (played by Angelina Jolie in the movie) was amazing. I wish there had been more of it, and also maybe what happened to that head nurse (Valerie)? Hollywood sweeted that one over, I think Whoopi Goldberg played her.
Putting in holding for August/weekend meet up of Boston area bookcrossers!
###
A fast read -- not a light read.
It's interesting to see how life was in a Mental Hospital during the 60's
from somoene inside/patient point of view.
The stories about the hospital were interesting.
The narrator was probably the least interesting of the patients, unless she left a lot out.
Her self analysis or refuting of her diagnosis dragged on and really lost me.
I think she felt compelled to get her records as print them as part of the story--although I'm not sure what point she is making -- since all treatment and diagnosis has changed broadly, there are different standards, theories, etc.
Think the book would have been a little better on the memoir side -- if she went more into depth and more about herself plus the other folks post-release versus venting about her diagnosis right/wrong. Unfortunately, she wasn't alone, many patients with mental issues were experimented on or not given proper treatment by today's standards.
On closing note, the follow up on Lisa (played by Angelina Jolie in the movie) was amazing. I wish there had been more of it, and also maybe what happened to that head nurse (Valerie)? Hollywood sweeted that one over, I think Whoopi Goldberg played her.
Putting in holding for August/weekend meet up of Boston area bookcrossers!
###
An unclaimed orphan from the Boston Bookcrossing Meeting at Panera Bread. Going to be saved at for the 2010 Boston UnConvention since it takes place in Belmont, MA.
Journal Entry 6 by tobysrus at Boston 2010 North American UnConvention in -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, Massachusetts USA on Thursday, August 12, 2010
Released 13 yrs ago (8/13/2010 UTC) at Boston 2010 North American UnConvention in -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, Massachusetts USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Welcome to BookCrossing!
Please make a journal entry to let me know that this book has been caught so I know that it has found a good home with you. If you are new to BookCrossing, when you join please indicate that you were referred by tobysrus. I hope that you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you are done reading.
Then, whenever you are ready to send it on its way, make a journal entry if you are giving or sending this book to a known person, or a release note if you are leaving it “in the wild” again for anyone to catch. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. And it’s confidential (you are known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.
I hope that you will enjoy the BookCrossing experience!
PS And if you find yourself liking BookCrossing, Boston has an active group of BookCrossers who meet bi-monthly: second Tuesday of the month at Algiers (40 Brattle St, Cambridge - Harvard Square, 2nd floor) and the 4th Saturday of the month at the Panera Bread in Coolidge Corners Brookline. Come join us! For more information, see our meet-up group at http://bookcrossing.meetup.com/195/! Be on the lookout for other books left in the "Wild"!
Please make a journal entry to let me know that this book has been caught so I know that it has found a good home with you. If you are new to BookCrossing, when you join please indicate that you were referred by tobysrus. I hope that you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you are done reading.
Then, whenever you are ready to send it on its way, make a journal entry if you are giving or sending this book to a known person, or a release note if you are leaving it “in the wild” again for anyone to catch. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. And it’s confidential (you are known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.
I hope that you will enjoy the BookCrossing experience!
PS And if you find yourself liking BookCrossing, Boston has an active group of BookCrossers who meet bi-monthly: second Tuesday of the month at Algiers (40 Brattle St, Cambridge - Harvard Square, 2nd floor) and the 4th Saturday of the month at the Panera Bread in Coolidge Corners Brookline. Come join us! For more information, see our meet-up group at http://bookcrossing.meetup.com/195/! Be on the lookout for other books left in the "Wild"!
Wasn't impressed - lots of discombobulated thoughts (maybe that is what the writer was trying to achieve, having written about mental illness in early life). Nonetheless, I would have liked to have seen the narrator reflect upon her early experiences more thoughtfully.
Journal Entry 8 by 
haahaahaa98
at Diesel Cafe, 257 Elm St., Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts USA on Saturday, July 9, 2011
haahaahaa98 at Diesel Cafe, 257 Elm St., Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts USA on Saturday, July 9, 2011
Released 12 yrs ago (7/9/2011 UTC) at Diesel Cafe, 257 Elm St., Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Will release soon!
Oddly enough, I found this copy in the cafe where I used to go for public ERP therapy while staying at McLean Hospital's OCD Institute.
Released back into the wild in Philadelphia, PA.
Released back into the wild in Philadelphia, PA.
i found this in the paper rack at work. and i loved the idea
