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

I listened to this book TWICE. I was fascinated with the story, both from the point of view of the psychiatrist's thinking and from the woman's experiences in re-integrating herself. I had a hard time listening to the horrendous aspects of her childhood abuse (I turned the volume down low for those parts), but was comforted (and gratifyingly) amazed at the love and wisdom that was in the woman all along -- despite her incredibly cruel abuse -- in the guise of some of her alternate personalities. That the human brain can protect itself this way is really marvelous! It made me think about how we all have that inner wisdom inside us (how to access it is another matter). I've been thinking a lot about what I've learned from her story, and how she is just an extreme case of what all of us manifest from time to time in a lesser form. I wish that I could thank her for letting her story be told.

This book is a bit like a car wreck that you can't help straining to see as you drive by. Morbid curiosity keeps you hooked into this tale, but it's not for the faint-hearted. The details of this woman's abuse are graphic even if not everything is revealed. (To be honest, I'd hate to hear worse.) I was riveted by the story nonetheless.

I found this book to be fascinating. One reviewer discredits this story with the fact that to them it is unbelievable. I found the descriptions of the different personalities surprising, and the narrator did and excellent job differentiating. I could not put it down.

Wow- to be brief, if you're interested in the mind, psychology, multiple personalities, depression or people in general, you will probably find this hard to put down.
Having said that, if you don't like to hear about terrible things happening to people in a truly sadistic and disgusting manner (although compared to the violence we see on the news, TV and movies in general, it's probably not that shocking), then I might consider passing.
I can't stand violence, and to hear some of the things that happened to this poor woman made me sick to imagine, but it also made me truly understand her, and perhaps some other people out there who just don't seem to be with it. The reading was excellent. And the questions the book raised about the mind, at least to me, makes me wonder much more about what our minds are capable of, in both positive and negative aspects.
Highly recommended, but beware the more empathetic- it will hurt.

I grew up with Three Faces of Eve and as a child I never really understood what multiple personality disorder meant. This book was one I could not stop listening to. The most amazing patient-doctor journey that takes this woman to the light at the end of the tunnel. The reader was so good that I actually felt I knew each personality and as Karen became more 'whole' I cried when each of the alters had to be integrated into this woman in order for her to become who she was meant to be. Amazing simply amazing a must listen. A++

Switching Time is a mesmerizing story and I could hardly turn it off!! Dr. Baer did a wonderful job giving enough detail of why someone would develop 17 personalities without making the story about the abuse. It is a wonderful story of survival and recovery that I highly recommend.

This book was amazing. Although, yikes the descriptions of her childhood are very graphic and very disturbing. However, here's a note, most of the really graphic stuff occurs in Chapter 3, I belive, titled "childhood horrors" or something. You can easily skip that chapter and still know what she went through without as much detail through descriptions at other times. I thought I was pretty thick skinned growing up in the horror movie and action flick era that we're in now, but I couldn't take that chapter. It made me ill. The rest of the book though, Fabulous. So interesting and informative about the life of someone with MPD. I was addicted to this book. Listening at every chance I got.

I purchased this title with a bit of hesitation because I feared it might be a Sybil knock-off. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, although there are some inherent similarities of the symptoms and histories of people with multiple personality disorder, this story is truly unique and full of new insights. The mix of clinical documentary and storytelling really impressed me - just enough clinical text-book information mixed in with the story to both inform and entertain the reader. Of course, the story itself is tragic and horrifying in many ways - but I didn't find it to be over-done or terribly vulgar. If you are curious and find the subject matter intriguing, this book might be just what you're looking for.

AN ASTOUNDING true story that blew my mind!! If you have any interest in how the mind works this is a must read. This incredible story which was written by her doctor remains at the top of my list of 350 books in my coveted favorites category. This book shows the unbelievable capabilities of our minds, which is far beyond our wildest imaginings.If there ever was a must read- this is it. This is a sleeper blockbuster if there ever was one!!

Very interesting listen. I normally listed to comtemporary fiction, but am glad I downloaded this audiobook.

Beware: some of the content is tough to stomach (physical, verbal, mental, and sexual child abuse).