War in my head: for my English speaking friends!

‘War in my head’

‘War in my head’ is the harrowing life story of Karen (25).  After years of treatment – 10 psychiatrists in  4 psychiatric hospitals – she was finally correctly diagnosed.

Karen has DIS (Dissociative Identity Disorder), which is a rare psychiatric illness typified by a dissociative or multiple identity.  This means that Karen lives with 20 good and bad “inner people” or alters, each with their own personality.  They make her life hell, because she barely has any control over what they say and do.  Maximus is the worst, for he wants to cut her and he makes Flor buy razor blades.  Every day Karen has to fight: fight against the voices in her head, against the cutting, against compulsive actions, against thoughts of suicide.
In this book Karen talks in full honesty about what she has experienced since her childhood, what she feels and thinks.  Her honesty makes a lasting impression in this book.  Her fear of the electroshock therapy, the consequences of her use of medicines, the pain of her cuts, the uncertainty of her future... she does not leave any of it unspoken.
Journalist Ann Driessen has written down Karen’s personal story and has incorporated some diary fragments and photos.  Also comments by her mother, her brother, her psychologist and her nurse have been added.  The enclosed explanatory glossary, useful addresses and recommendations from Karen and her psychologist make this a practical book.  Laymen as well as professionals get a picture of what and how it is: to live with DIS.
For this is Karen’s aim: to show that DIS exists, to tell people with DIS, their friends and family, how it went in her case, to describe how powerless she felt as a young girl stuck in various psychiatric institutions and not to be believed, not to be understood.
‘War in my head’ is published by Kramat. It can be bought or ordered in book shops of via the internet, at the price of 15 Euros.

The true life story of Karen

Foto Lisa Develtere

Karen is a psychiatric patient, Ann is a journalist. A coincidence brought them together. Karen’s wish was to write a book about her very rare but extremely burdensome illness called DIS, dissociative identity disorder. Ann’s wish was to write a book and in this way to make Karen’s wish come true. Those wishes have come true. During month after month, their collaboration grew, and from their conversations this book came about. It is a docudrama, a true life story. This book is her harrowing life story. It is a moving account of what she has experienced and felt, right up to the present...

Do you want to contact Karen or Ann? You can. Send your reactions and questions to:
info@anndriessen.be

Some fragments from reviews

Excerpt from review www.bangersisters.nl:

‘War in my head’ is an incredibly impressive story that, on the one hand, you want to keep reading, but on the other hand you also need to put it aside because of its (sometimes very) turbulent moments.  The writing is so powerful that as a reader you feel like you are her best friend, who has to watch it all and can’t do anything, except hope that one day Karen will find peace in her head and that everything will get much better for her.  This book confronts the reader with the knowledge that psychiatric patients are ordinary people who often struggle with great difficulties, just like Karen.  With this book Karen wants to break the taboo surrounding psychiatry and she has made an impressive step in that direction!’

Angela Stegeman

Excerpt from review www.tentakel.nl:

‘A moving docudrama that really touches you!  The reader gets an insight into the life of a strong 25-year old woman who suffers from DIS and who wants to get rid of it.  Especially the lack of power that Karen has experienced in the various psychiatric institutions is an eye opener for people who believe it is easy to live in such institutions.  Journalist Ann Driessen has managed to make a moving composite of all alters and comments by Karen and her helpers, which the reader will not easily forget!  ‘War in my head’ is a book that will make anyone who may doubt the existence of DIS (nursing professionals and psychiatrists) realise that it is a truly serious handicap.  This book helps people with similar problems realise that they are not alone.’

Marieke Wolf

Thanks Lieve Reckers, for the translations!