Comment by Mary Jo on November 2, 2008 3:25 pm

Dearest Karen,

One powerful journey! One amazing book! One great doctor! One particularily amazing patient!
One question? Why do you believe God chose you to stay?

Mary Jo

Dear Mary Jo,

I believe God has chosen me and has placed me here to make a difference in our world–to bring awareness to the horrific reality of childhood sexual abuse and what can happen to a child’s mind when betrayed by those who the child believes, loves, cares for, and trusts.

I believe my multiple personality disorder to be a God sent coping mechanism.  I thank God everyday for saving me and for allowing me to share my journey to healing, with Dr. Baer’s help, to make a difference in the lives of all those who suffer.  I believe when something unthinkable happens, as in my being abused, it may seem impossible to believe one can overcome the scars caused from inner pain.  But it is possible.  It happened to me.

I do believe in tests of faith.  I survived by having faith, even when I wasn’t aware of it. 

God bless you,

Karen

Comment by Betty Joanne on November 3, 2008 11:24 pm

Hi Karen,

HELP! Where is everything at? I couldn’t find the Good Morning America interview, the alters picture, Richard Baer’s picture, the hard cover picture and other stuff that was on the website before. I feel like a idiot? I was trying to show people about your book and couldn’t find any of what I was looking for? It was there months ago where is is now? It needs to be put back on!

Desperately trying to save my sanity. I wasn’t seeing things!

Betty Joanne

Dear Betty Joanne,

I’m sorry!  You weren’t seeing things!  Everything you described is on the website, but our website is divided into two sections at this time. We’ll try to combine these two sites soon.  What you are looking for is on www.switchingtime.com.  Where you are right now is www.switchingtime.wordpress.com.  WordPress is the blog site that allows us to get readers’ comments and answer them.  I know this is confusing, it confuses me, too!

Thank you for sharing Switching Time with others.  Dr. Baer and I appreciate your enthusiasm.

Karen

Comment by Jean on November 2, 2008 11:37 pm

Hi Karen,

It sounds as if Simon is at the beginning of a career, which will not be terribly useful to those of us with DID. He might try to consider that for many of us dissociation is a gift from God and one which kept us alive.

The book ‘Switching Time’ was liberating for me. Thank you. I believe in your experience – it brings hope for mine.

Simon, are you scared that God might have allowed a phenomenon which reaches beyond science and outstretches even you. I am curious about your sentence, “I conclude and question.” I wonder if you are open to the answers?

I agree with Karen in that what you have written is incomprehensible – I only hope you are more easily able to build a rapport with patients.

Karen, Best wishes,

Jean

Dear Jean, 

I agree!  I tried to answer Simon’s comment, but I couldn’t understand where he was going with his words.  I believe he was trying to make sense of an illness for which there hasn’t been much information.  I don’t believe Simon was looking for an answer from me.  I believe he was stating his own opinions. 

I, too, hope that Simon is able to build rapport with his patients; I especially hope he keeps some of his opinions to himself.  How horribly devasting it would be for a MPD/DID patient to confide in him and hear his incomprehensible views.

Thank you, Jean, for your kind thoughts and compliments.

Karen

Comment by Someone who cares on November 2, 2008 1:37 pm

Karen Overhill,

In your old multiple world who was the alter responsible for making decisions and keeping you safe? Who is responsible since integration? What kept you alive these years and what could kill you these days? Has anyone betrayed you? What about Richard Baer? In analyzing Switching Time it is my belief Richard Baer did. I personally witnessed the amazing you, the power behind your healing must be dealt with indefinitely, forgiveness is inevitable, and betrayal is not acceptable. Stop trusting him. I personally know him and heʼs not being honest with you.

Someone who cares.

Dear Someone Who Cares,

Do you really?  I appreciate your overall concern regarding my relationship with Richard Baer.  But if you truly personally know me and Dr. Baer, which I doubt, then you would be empathetic and understand how difficult our journey together has been.  Dr. Baer and I worked very hard together to share our therapeutic journey so that all would understand the difficulty treating seventeen parts of one woman.

I’ve been betrayed before, but not by Dr. Baer.  I trust Dr. Baer.  Why would he betray me now after all that we’ve accomplished for almost twenty years?  If you truly know Dr. Baer personally, as you claim, and you believe he is being dishonest with me, then I’m sorry you feel this way.  Dr. Baer nor I share your concerns regarding each other.  Without knowing what you are referring to, I feel you are being dishonest with me and I refuse to be manipulated by you.

Karen

Comment by T on November 1, 2008 1:54 am

Karen,

What kind of drugs do you take for mpd? How long were you on these drugs? What an inspiring life journey you encountered. How did you control the alters intake of medication/? What if you overdosed when two or more alters would take the same dosages?

Thank you.

T

Dear T,

In my opinion, for I am not a medical doctor and can’t give advice, I do not believe there are any prescription drugs that would help anyone with MPD/DID.  In my case, prescription drugs only masked my illness. I realized this early in my therapy and decided never take any prescription drugs long term.  As a matter of fact, I rarely stuck to the prescriptions Dr. Baer prescribed.  Sure, I would have them filled, bring them home, and set the bottles in the medicine cabinet, where I took them inconsistently, if at all.

I believe Dr. Baer tried his very best to find something that would help my suicidal thoughts, severe depression, and lost time.  I admired his efforts, but I knew the medications weren’t helping me. I never did share this fact with Dr. Baer, because I feared being hospitalized.

I believe there is no better treatment than simply talk therapy.  My alters decided no more drugs, with the one exception of a mild anti-anxiety medication, taken as needed, and not often, for those times I was in great distress.

Most of my alters never took medications or made major decisions.  My alters were created in order for me to function at my best, in every area of my life, even through in an altered state of mind.  Each alter had to function within their given purpose.  My alters made sure all precautions would be made to avoid alter chaos within my inner world.

Thank you for being inspired by my life story and for your challenging questions.

Karen

Comment by Anonymous on October 31, 2008 8:11 pm

First, a word about my own perspective on the practice of psychiatry. Itʼs hogwash! Raised in the Roman Catholic tradition I began my professional study in psychiatry after completing undergraduate work in philosophy. My studies included critical examination of christian scriptures. There is no such mention of this illness. I work from the conviction that it is my professional responsibilty to ask critical questions about the nature and function of your therapeutic relationship with Richard Baer MD and his diagnosis. One might legitimately ask whether my background might lead me to compare other illnesses using my own background experience as some sort of standard. I have sought to set up categories of this claimed diagnosis for comparabilty that privilege no particulars. I draw from a broad spectrum of concepts, and in no instance engage in the comparative evaluation of truthful claims on multiple personality disorder, dissociative identity disorder. I conclude and question. I am equally convinced that human beings are incapable of accomplishing dissociation to this extreme. Karen inflates her human capabilty beyond science. One of the most useful tasks we as humans could all relate to is understanding the reality of how and why each of believes in what we do.

Simon

Dear Simon,

I don’t really understand all that you’re saying, but from what you’ve said, it seems to all be about you.

Karen

Comment by Alan on October 30, 2008 3:22 am

Karen,

If you could live again in another time in the future, possibly through reincarnation, which alter would you like to come back as?

Alan

Dear Alan,

This is hard to answer.  I am the combined result of each of my alters, not any particular one, and each alter wasn’t really one complete identity.  My alters may have had certain strengths and gifts but they were not fully formed to live alone in reality.  If I had to choose one, it may have been Holdon, with the softer side of Ann included.  I’m not sure, but thank you for your interesting question.

Karen

Comment by Xandra on October 29, 2008 5:43 pm

Dear Karen,

In spite of all that you and Dr Richard Baer went through do you feel as if this was an accomplishment or not? If you were to know what you know now would you still make the decision to integrate or not? I have been diagnosed with mpd and my therapist gave me your book to read. I donʼt want to accept my diagnosis but have to be realistic. I do wish to heal like you but have my doubts. Did your therapist give you books to read? Which books?

Switching Time made me come to terms with my own diagnosis. I am inspired by you to do what I need to do. The only difference is I donʼt feel my therapist is the right one to accompany me on my journey? How did you know Dr. Richard Baer was right for you? How long did it take to know? I am in therapy for two years now, once a month.

Thank you,

Xandra

Dear Xandra,

I’ve always felt that all Dr. Baer and I have gone through was an accomplishment.  I’d make the same decision to integrate today.

Accepting your diagnosis of multiple personality disorder and working with your therapist on becoming whole through integration takes many steps and can only be accomplished after building trust with your therapist.  If what you are sharing with me is true, then in my opinion, you may not have fully bonded and built trust with him. You may not be seeing him often enough.  It’s hard to embark on an intensive therapeutic process only once a month.  Be realistic and trust your own instincts, even if this means seeking a second opinion.  Always remember, this is your life and you need to do what’s best for you.

Dr. Baer never suggested any books for me to read, but then, there weren’t any books like Switching Time to describe such a treatment.  Dr. Baer and I stayed focused and dealt strictly with my own inner world without any outside influences that could’ve been suggestive and confused our work. There was already too much alter chaos going on within me, and I didn’t believe I would ever heal.  During therapy I tried a few times to read or view something on MPD, but instantly felt ill and stopped.

I am glad to hear Switching Time is helping you come to terms with your own diagnosis.  In the beginning, I didn’t know Dr. Baer was the right therapist for me, but we worked hard together to establish trust with my alters.  All this took time, patience, and a commitment not to give up on each other.  I wish you all the best.

Karen

Comment by lenni on October 30, 2008 2:38 am

The guys voice on your book on tape was awesome! It pierced through me.. I would listen, fall asleep, rewind, start again and had to keep going. I rewound it a few times. I even listend to a few sections twice. Powerful and debiliating at the same time. I am not one to read so hearing it was good for me. There were times I had to stop what I was doing and make sure not to kill anyone. I couldnʼt listen to it in the car. It was too overbearing and intense. Great book!

Lenni

Dear Lenni,

Thank you for your review!  I can understand how tense you must’ve felt trying to listen to our book while driving!  Dr. Baer and I appreciate all your compliments, especially your sharing the emotions that came over you while listening to Switching Time.  The narrator, Lloyd James, his voice pierced through me, too, but in a calming way.   

Karen

Comment by Marilyn on October 31, 2008 6:50 pm

Dear Karen,

I feel so sad for you. I don’t know you but you must be petrified with Halloween and the memories triggered. I read you completed therapy but can’t imagine how you did when I could throw up just thinking about what you went through. How could you give out treats today? Can’t someone else do it?

Marilyn

Dear Marilyn,

How nice of you to think of me on this day.  I appreciated your concern, but there is no need to feel sad for me.  I am not petrified of the Halloween holiday. I no longer experience the pain I once suffered when this date triggered horrific memories. I actually enjoy the children dressing up in costumes and passing out candy treats to all the trick or treaters!  I will never again allow myself to live in fear of those who wronged me.  My horrific memories of abuse, once suffered on this day, were put to rest in the same way my abusers were—they are dead.  Besides, it’s much better to be a part of this day than to hide from it!

Happy Halloween!

Karen