Disorder

By: Rokia, Beth Hickling-Moore – translation

Narrated by: Diane Guerrero, Freya Allan, William Gao, Connor Swindells, Allegra Marland, Flora Montgomery

Part dark romance, part fairy tale, DISORDER marks the arrival of bestselling Italian author Rokia, available for the first time in English, in a vibrant translation by Beth Hickling-Moore. The production is voiced by an all-star cast: Diane Guerrero (Orange is the New Black), William Gao (Heartstopper), Freya Allan (The Witcher) and Connor Swindells (Sex Education.)

Meet Olivia, Sia, Derek and Edgar. Four young people scarred by self-harm, anorexia and PTSD, each of them searching for a way to heal. Brought together by an unorthodox doctor, their friendship becomes instrumental as they battle their respective demons. Through a series of increasingly demanding challenges set by prestigious media company GNN, deliberately chosen to make them face their pasts, their friendship becomes a key part of how they learn to process their pain. As their relationships grow, the past is never too far away, with wounds constantly being re-opened. And while no-one will remain unscathed along the journey of recovery, one thing is for sure: love has the power to mend a bleeding heart.

Please note: this production includes descriptions of mental illness, death, child abuse, violence, domestic violence, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, miscarriage and substance abuse.

©2024 Rokia (P)2024 Audible Ltd.

We need a book 2!!

We need a book 2 omg I love the storyline, plot, the romance, the everything. Needs a book 2 ASAP. Please.

Enchanting and heartbreaking

If I could give this 1 million stars, I would. This was the most beautiful piece of text that I have ever listened to

wonderful

started out a little slow but built into lives of characters to stay up all night for

Unique love story, Issues with diagnosis: SPOILERS

I loved how they showed that people with mental illnesses, especially severe and often stigmatized, can live relatively normal lives and still find love. However, I'm not a professional, but some of the characters seem to be misdiagnosed which is a shame because it could have brought attention to lesser known disorders.

Spoilers ahead:




Some minor things that could be better diagnosed are:

Sia and her mother are both said to have schizophrenia. Schizophrenia seems to be most people's "go to" when they write characters that hear voices or do things that others would see as psychotic, but not all psychosis is caused by schizophrenia. The mother said she had postpartum psychosis which is "generally considered a presentation of bipolar spectrum disorder rather than a primary psychotic illness such as schizophrenia."

And while they all had PTSD, I think due to their childhoods most of them would have C-PTSD which is "usually caused by prolonged or repeated trauma, such as childhood abuse, domestic violence, or being a prisoner of war. C-PTSD can include more severe and pervasive symptoms than PTSD, such as difficulties with self-perception, emotional dysregulation, and challenges in relationships." PTSD on the other hand is, "usually caused by a single traumatic event, such as a car accident or act of violence."

But the thing that bothered me the most is that Sia seems to be completely misdiagnosed. I firmly believe she has Dissociative identity disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder (MPD). DID is a mental health condition that causes a person to have two or more distinct identities, or "personality states", or "alters" that control your behavior at different times. When personalities switch, you'll have gaps in your memory.

Symptoms of DID include:
- Identity states: Each identity may have a unique name, voice, personal history, and mannerisms.
- Memory gaps: People with DID may have gaps in their memory about everyday events, personal information, or past traumatic events.
-Amnesia: People with DID may experience episodes of amnesia, where they may not be aware that they have lost their memory.
-Sleep disturbances: People with DID may have difficulty falling or staying asleep, have nightmares, or experience complex behaviors that seem to emerge from sleep.
- Emotional distress: People with DID may feel uncertain about their identity, feel "broken", or experience depression, mood swings, or self-loathing

All of which Sia experienced with the White Rose.

DID and schizophrenia have some overlapping symptoms and often get confused for one another, but they are separate conditions. While people with either condition may experience delusions, depression, and suicidal thoughts, people with DID experience multiple identities or personalities, while those with schizophrenia do not. Schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder (DID) are different conditions that can cause a disconnection from reality, but they have some key differences:

- People with DID have multiple identities or personalities, while people with schizophrenia do not.
- People with schizophrenia typically experience one set of symptoms, while people with DID experience a disruption of identity.
- Schizophrenia usually appears in people in their late teens to 30, while DID symptoms may begin showing up in childhood.
- Anti-psychotics are used to treat schizophrenia, while talk therapy is the primary treatment for DID.
* And if I remember correctly, it was mentioned that the medications (other than sedatives) did not really work for Sia, which would make sense if she actually had DID.
- The exact causes of schizophrenia are unknown, but research suggests a combination of factors. DID is thought to be caused by experiencing severe trauma over a long time in childhood.

Sorry for the long rant! Mental health advocacy is very important to me especially if it helps break down stigma and sheds light on lesser known disorders. And as someone who knows people with DID it is a topic that is particularly close to me. If anyone wants to learn more I'd suggest checking out The CTAD Clinic, MultiplicityAndMe, The Rings System, and The Entropy System on youtube. One is a professional who treats individuals with Dissociative disorders and the others are educators with lived experience.

If you took the time to read all this, thanks for reading! <3

Worth The Open Wound

Raw, honest, intensely poetic! I’ve never encountered another book that so clearly captured the depth of pain or the intense shame , but also the incredible strength associated with mental health issues! My gut is twisted, and my eyes are puffy, but this book is worth the pain!