Young Writers Society

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen is the memoir of a woman who was institutionalized as a teenager in the sixties for Borderline personality disorder. It describes her experiences at the psych ward and explores mental illness.

Anyone read it? I just finished and was pretty impressed... a little lacking in plot but quite interesting, thought-provoking and well-written. Disturbing in parts, but better disturbing than sugarcoated. I thought it made some interesting points about how our culture defines "crazy." Is it just a label we pin on people we don't understand, who don't fit into social norms? For example, homosexuality used to be considered a psychological disorder because it wasn't mainstream, but gays are as mentally and emotionally competent as anyone else.

I was talking to my mom about it... she disliked it because she thought in romanticized mental illness and depression (her brother was mentally ill and eventually committed suicide so she's sensitive to the subject.) I suppose she has a point, but though it may have romanticized it it didn't make it any less sad or scary.

A note: I recommend the the book over the movie by far. The movie did not stay true to the novel and the book gives you much more insight into the protagonists mind.

I'd recommend this to anyone but especially to people interested in psychology.