[Memoir] ‘Girl, Interrupted’ by Susanna Kaysen

Girl, Interrupted
by Susanna Kaysen
Published by Vintage

If you have ever known anyone that may have been called crazy by others or themselves; or someone who sought help for mental conditions with ever-changing diagnosis and powerful medications handed our by seemingly out-of-touch doctors that never seem to find a clue, then you might have some empathy for Kaysen’s situation. I’ve personally had someone close to me that has shared some of the same thought patterns, perceptions, and symptoms as Kaysen. This person thought for a while that she might be insane, but could never describe what she felt or thought or put anything into words that would accurately reflect the skewed depth of what she felt.

In “Girl, Interrupted,” Susanna Kaysen is able to do many of the things that others, possibly less eloquent or less in-touch with clinical vernacular, are unable to do; and that is to put into words, anecdotes, and self-meditations just what it was like to be “crazy” and “get better.”

The scope of the book covers just short of two years of Kaysen’s life starting at the time that she checked herself into the renowned McLean Hospital for psychiatric help. There are sketches of other patients, nurses, doctors, and therapists at the hospital included in the memoir. Kaysen is always brutally honest regarding herself and avoids whimsy when discussing her fellow patients. However, the other patients, etc. are only touched on for depth and to help with understanding certain reactions, conversations, and anecdotes involving Kaysen herself. This is not a tell-all or scandalous book or one that exploits those with whom she shared her time.

This is not an easy book to do a full review on because it is personal and direct; any parsing of its contents would be simply quoting from the book. It is not hyperbole to say that Kaysen provides a translation for those that may have at some point had trouble discussing or getting others to understand their problems. Eerily, Kaysen even had experiences similar to a person close to me where it seems mental anguish was almost exact. Kaysen’s explanations are so simple but poignant that I feel for the first time that I actually understand what had been explained to me dozens of times before.

One example I will paraphrase from Kaysen is in regard to what she simply referred to as the difference between being crazy and not crazy. Kaysen wrote that the mind works on at least two levels – where there is Interpreter #1 and Interpreter #2. At any given time, #1 is making observations and judgments, then #2 filters those judgments and either kicks em out or agrees. So if a “not crazy” looks to a corner where there is a chair and Interpreter #1 sees a lion, then #2 will examine that information, maybe advise to get a closer look, and will then kick out the information from #1 and conclude, no, its not a lion, its a chair. A “crazy” person, on the other hand, has something wrong with Interpreter #2. When it gets to the filtering stage after #1 thought the chair was a lion, it will either agree or not disagree. That is what’s it’s like to have a break from reality or some personality disorders, etc.

Even after reading Kaysen’s brilliant memoir, I still have a hard time putting what I learned into words. That is the power and clarity of this personal narrative.

“Girl, Interrupted,” was adapted into a movie starring Winonna Ryder. I remember seeing it years ago and I remember I liked it; I don’t remember it having near the effect on me as the book.

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