I am a big fan of Casey Watson (a pseudonym). She is a foster carer in the UK trained specifically to help those children with challenging difficulties. This particular book struck with me a LOT. I believe the 12 year old girl she was fostering (called Sophia) had Dissociative Identity Disorder. Read on for a short discussion but beware of spoilers.
Casey describes how the 12 year old has “personality switches”. She describes Sophia falling into a very child-like state – and asking to be called a different name. She describes her becoming a very sexualised character who makes moves on men. She describes her becoming a very angry beast that growls and attacks. She describes how Sophia will switch right before her very eyes and will not remember what she has done in the previous “state”. She describes how Sophia will unknowingly start talking to herself, having emotionally charged conversations. She describes how Sophia will enter trance states where she is completely unresponsive. Sophia has a history of sexual abuse and other very traumatic incidents.
Sophia’s mental health spirals more and more out of control until towards the end of the book she is referred onto the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. I was hanging onto every chapter willing for them to assess her and take note of the clear altered states. But no. I was disappointed to find out that she actually gets put into an adolescent unit and diagnosed with “psychotic episodes” and put on medication.
I hope for Sophia’s sake that I am wrong- that she is going through psychotic episodes that will be helped with medication in the residential unit that she will probably stay in for a long time now. But my gut tells me that this is just another case where the UK mental health system is oblivious to what is staring them right in the face. Leading to a damaging case of them using medication to sedate the alters and inhibit her true healing from the horrific terrors she has had to endure in her short life so far.
But my gut tells me that this is just another case where the UK mental health system is oblivious to what is staring them right in the face. Leading to a damaging case of them using medication to sedate the alters and inhibit her true healing from the horrific terrors she has had to endure in her short life so far.
This struck a nerve with me, especially when I think that a year ago today this is *exactly* where you were.
I hope that (if your suspicions are correct!) Sofia manages to escape that and find her own path to healing as you have. Come a long way x
I’m glad you liked it xx
Problem is Sophia is a lot younger than what I was a year ago today! So much of that book though I could connect with. As you know I read books like that like they are going out of fashion (and let’s be honest, they never actually will). But something about that book has just stayed with me …
that is so very sad! i hope she gets the real help she needs too.
isn’t it
yes stupid system!
Heartbreaking and what a stupid waste, really.
it is heartbreaking. but I don’t know what is round the corner for Sophia. Hopefully something excellent x
I hope so. I really hope so.
Leading to a damaging case of them using medication to sedate the alters and inhibit her true healing from the horrific terrors she has had to endure in her short life so far.
I like this view I find it very interesting. Do you think the medication would only sedate specific alters, or just maybe make a generally sedated host? Wondering more about your opinions on this topic.
In my experience when I was put on anti psychotics it led to certain sedated alters (all but one who was able to fight the sedative effect). I as a host was very sedated too.
I guess I am generalising when I say that the medication will sedate Sophia’s alters. I have heard many people who are multiples say that they were originally put on medication and all that did was sedate everything so as soon as they came off the medication it all came apart again.
With me, the alters were sedated at a time I needed them to be for my safety, but alongside this I was doing communication work to help the system function better anyway.
Medication & awareness of alters & working to help cooperation and communication in system I agree with.
Medication & ignorance of alters I don’t.
I hope that makes sense!
B x
Makes perfect sense thanks for explaining. I know when I get into certain dissociative states they attempt to treat them with antipsychotics. Then there are also issues of voices and such that I hear if they are really voices at all and maybe something else- none the less they treat me with the antipsychotics. I do have other psychotic symptoms though which doesn’t seem to have as much to do with trauma and dissociation.
Yes I understand. I didn’t stay on the anti psychotics long because I wasn’t prepared to just have things numbed down – I wanted to really work on them.
Voices – I’ve had voices in my head all my life. They were put down as hallucinations when I was 17 but I know now they were the dissociated parts of me coming through.
The big teller often is when anti psychotics are used but it doesn’t help the voices. Then it’s easier to put it down to dissociation.
Sorry it’s late and I’m conscious of rambling and not making much sense lol.
Feel free to ask anything you like though.
B x
How sad, that there may be an opportunity to actually help this young girl start healing from an early age, but she will probably end up being sedated and institutionalised. It will probably take years for her to get appropriate help.
Even more years stolen from her.
How terribly sad.
I know. If I had proper help at that age I can’t help but think things could be completely different. Still – I’m grateful for the help I have now. Thanks for reading xx
That’s exactly what I was thinking, about you, and me, and all those others.
And yes, I am also grateful for all those in my life now who help me on my path. ♡♥♡