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My Mother, Munchausen's and Me

A True Story of Betrayal and a Shocking Family Secret

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My Mother, Munchausen's and Me

Written by: Helen Naylor
Narrated by: Helen Naylor
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About this listen

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.

©2021 Helen Naylor (P)2021 Thread, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.
Abuse Biographies & Memoirs Parenting & Families Mental Health
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What listeners say about My Mother, Munchausen's and Me

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Amazing Story!

My heart broke listening to Helen’s story.
Beautifully written and beautifully told.
What a courageous woman to rise above the horrible mind games her mother played.
I hope Helen has a wonderful life now.

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Good book eventually

I found it very hard to get into. I restarted the book a few time. Mostly because I found myself struggling to get into it and not paying attention. I couldn’t imagine the struggle of watching a loved one do this.

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You spoke my life

I will listen to this over and over again. My mother didn’t suffer from munchausens, but was a narcissistic alcoholic who shaped my entire life. I never realized how much, until I listened to this book. The similarities are shocking of what we’ve both been through..thank you for writing this❤️

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While horrifying, I couldn’t ‘put it down’

A difficult story to read but so descriptive and heart wrenching. I felt her pain as we moved through her story together. Such vulnerability and strength. The fine balance of loving and hating your mother is articulated beautifully.

I will say that some parts felt contrived but that slipped away when she went deeper into the trauma and pain.

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Unique story

This was an eye opening listen. I’ve read many biographies of people who have recovered from abuse, but this one stands out. The abuse was insidious. Munchausen’s is a condition I have not read a lot about, so this was a great way to be introduced to it: through the web of lies one person created. It’s remarkable the extent to which one will go to.

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Too long

The subject was interesting but I had to force myself to finish the book. Could have finished it in less hours.

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Too Much Whining

I appreciate the sharing and struggles this authour has gone through. Hopefully, it will help many reflect on how the experiences and specifically "relationships" in our lives affect each of us. It was hard to finish, it's long, the "righteous tone", the whining is extreme. The authour fails to realize that the main premise of her book is based on diagnosing her mom with a condition - the same thing the authour blamed her mom for doing! The authour is NOT a doctor and to assume she understands the depths of ME (a very misunderstood and hard to test for disease) or the truth of her mother's suffering is beyond presumptuous. Doctors cannot always solve or determine the exact cause of a problem - they are not perfect or infallible. I myself suffered from undiagnosed Hashimoto's for over 10 years, searched for answers, went to numerous doctors, had endless tests, until I was finally diagnosed with thyroiditis which explained all the symptoms and complications I was told were "in my head". It hurt to read this daughter mocking her mother's attempts to feel better, gain attention, feel loved. I am not saying the mother was right in her behaviour but I feel the daughter judges and assumes too much. News flash, while duty of care is a responsibility and love is the answer, not all mothers, teacher's, or doctor's necessarily mesh with the personalities of those in their care. While all should try their best, not all mothers OR DAUGHTERS are likeable!

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