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My Mother, Munchausen's and Me
- A True Story of Betrayal and a Shocking Family Secret
- Narrated by: Helen Naylor
- Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
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Publisher's Summary
There was a time when I loved my mother. It’s shocking to imply that I stopped loving my mum because mothers always love their children and always do their best for them. Mothers are supposed to be good. But my mother wasn’t good.
Ten years ago, Helen Naylor discovered her mother, Elinor, had been faking debilitating illnesses for 30 years. After Elinor’s self-induced death, Helen found her diaries, which Elinor wrote daily for more than 50 years. The diaries reveal not only the inner workings of Elinor’s twisted mind and self-delusion, but also shocking revelations about Helen’s childhood.
Everything Helen knew about herself and her upbringing was founded on a lie. The unexplained accidents and days spent entirely on her own as a little girl, imagining herself climbing into the loft and disappearing into a different world, tell a story of neglect. As a teenager, her mother’s advice to Helen on her body and mental health speaks of dangerous manipulation.
With Elinor’s behavior becoming increasingly destructive, and Helen now herself a mother, she was left with a stark choice: to collude with Elinor’s lies or be accused of abandoning her.
My Mother, Munchausen’s and Me is a heartbreaking, honest, and brave account of a daughter unravelling the truth about her mother and herself. It’s a story of a stolen childhood, mental illness, and the redemptive power of breaking a complex and toxic bond.
What listeners say about My Mother, Munchausen's and Me
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- Jane Mahon
- 10-10-2022
Breathe taking
This has me saying OMG why! So many times it also resonates with me and my personal journey with my “mother”
Helen, thank you for sharing your story.
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- Kris
- 10-07-2023
Heartbreaking
Great writing, and had me speaking to you, the author, so many times! It was wonderful to see how much insight the author had in hindsight. Loved it.
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- Sharryn Simpson
- 10-05-2022
brave woman you are Helen
thank you for sharing your story with us.
its hard to deal with the ones you love that only think of themselves.
not having much support is hard but at least you found true love with your husband and children.
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Overall
- Anonymous User
- 13-10-2022
My Thought's
Very interesting, Finding out the truth in her mother's diaries was sad and yet eye opening.
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- Rachael M
- 27-03-2022
Hmmm, this was very different to anything I have read before.
4 stars
Hmmm, this was very different to anything I have read before.
This was an audible suggestion, and I downloaded it without any real thought or knowledge. I enjoyed reading about Helen's life and about her relationship with her mother, her mother's friends, and her family. I think that the NHS truely failed this family and (if Helen's story is true) needs to review how it deals with mentally ill patients.
What made me slightly uncomfortable is that this is one person's story and one of the main people discussed is now dead and can't defend herself or rebuke some of these accusations.
Was this a story that needed to be told? I am not sure. I wonder what Helen wanted to achieve by writing the story? Is she wanting to blame the NHS? Seeking to warn others? Shame those who shamed her? I am not sure.
I also feel slightly uncomfortable that Helen is diagnosing her own mother, no medical professional had ever diagnosed Helen's mother with Munchausen's, or Border Line Personality Disorder, or Narcissistic Personality disorder.
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- Anonymous User
- 18-12-2022
Frighteningly familiar!!
This is such a wonderful account of Helen’s experience. I haven’t dealt with the illness side of things with my mother, but I have with the dangerous narcissistic traits. It’s like this book is mine. Thanks for a very honest and raw account of your life. Now move forward and don’t look back.
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- Anonymous User
- 01-01-2023
A must!
An incredible story! Reminds me of my narcissistic grandmother..unbelievable how some people can be!
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- Joelle Ford
- 07-07-2023
A Very Interesting Listen
I could envision the dark cloud Helen speaks of. I could feel the heartbreak and disappointment, the loneliness and isolation, the worthlessness and feeling of frustration. Thank goodness you are finally free of this oppressive existence. So glad you have a wonderful family unit of your own and a happy future ahead.
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- Fiona
- 11-08-2022
Not for Me
I got to chapter 6 and I’m sorry I realise your mother was in bed every afternoon, and maybe thrived on talking to friends about her illnesses. But so far I don’t see munchausens. I got bored. A lot of us grew up ignored by our parents in that era. Where we had to take care of ourselves pretty much. I feel lucky I had siblings.
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- Anonymous User
- 18-09-2023
A person who doesn’t really know what child abuse is and apart from her mother pretending to be sick she had a normal childhood
I don’t think the author knows what child abuse really is. Her life was quite normal apart from her mother pretending to be sick sometimes.
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