[zoeboboey]

Originally Posted by HARRN2b

Friends,

It is not just nurses suffering from depression and mental illness. It is our entire American society. I really do not know why. I was discussing this with a friend who is writing a dissertation. We were trying to figure out why so many people are depressed. I am included, myself. I feel mine is somewhat chemical with a touch of sad (even when the weather is warm but it is cloudy). I have read that we are the most depressed people on earth. For the life of me, I have trouble figuring it out!

I have some THOUGHTS about it - but they are just my own. I think our expectations of 'the good life' are different from our folks'. The media and our general materialism makes us think that "things", the right guy/girl (and dump that person if they end up "wrong"), the right house, money, trips, etc etc etc ...

Plus there is the decline in our morality, and increased dependence upon ourselves instead of God - well - but since I "know" all these things - why do I still get mentally ill LOL. I do need to say that the last 7 or 8 months have been better and I partly attribute that to my full cooperation with God and having found a good church - and probably a good mix of meds as well, WHO KNOWS!

Well anyway here is a present for you to cheer up your day -- and (if it's ok) bless you

[kathi9]

I worked very hard to become a nurse and then left it when my illness (bi-polar, mostly with severe depression) overwhelmed me during my first months of practice. Though I regret letting my license lapse now, I know I could reinstate and try to start again......but I'm scared to try.

Where I live, jobs are very scarce and Long Term Care is about the only type of nursing for an LPN. I applied at the hospitals, clinics, and such at first but no one wanted a brand new LPN (as most of my classmates discovered) except the nursing homes. I love older people but I felt very chaotic, rushed, overworked, completely stressed out every single day. I could never pass my meds on time. Everyone seemed so, I don't know, so unfeeling and distant to the old people in their care. I felt like my job was just shoving pills into someone's mouth or feeding tube and hurrying out and on to the next one. Everyone I've spoken to tells me this is LTC nursing and you have to be hard or you'll never make it. Is this true? Or is this just my mind taking in information and processing it incorrectly?

Did I let my illness overwhelm me or is this what other people find when they begin nursing in LTC?
Peace,
Kathi9

[jbhueston]

this helps alot reading this. my mom is in absolute denial of being bipolar, schizophrenic. she thinks having a mental disorder affects her intelligience for some reason. in other words, she cannot be intelligent and have a mental disorder. and then i watch a movie like "a beautiful mind" and it makes me realize that she is wrong. we dont talk about it, the "b" word. she wont take her meds, she has been picked up a couple times now by the police for being a danger to herself.

[HARRN2b]

Zoe,

Thank you so much for your blessings. I think we all need them on some days. Life can be demanding and stressful!

Hugs,

Holly

[zoeboboey]

Originally Posted by kathi9

I worked very hard to become a nurse and then left it when my illness (bi-polar, mostly with severe depression) overwhelmed me during my first months of practice. Though I regret letting my license lapse now, I know I could reinstate and try to start again......but I'm scared to try....

Did I let my illness overwhelm me or is this what other people find when they begin nursing in LTC?
Peace,
Kathi9

Hi Kathi9

It must have been so hard for you (and for the poster who said she got sick 5 weeks before graduation) to have had to leave so soon after training! I have been angry, and disappointed, and sad, to have missed probably 6 years total of my 25 years since graduation. So I can only imagine Although I kinda knew even in nursing school that nursing was going to eat a huge hunk of my soul by its very nature (and because of my OWN nature! I knew even then!)>

Now I pretty much have decided I'm done with nursing. Not even sure if I will be able to WORK! grr...

Did you "let" your illness overwhelm you? I imagine you would have kept going if you'd been able to! And my counselor is always telling me, if there is any guilt or blame in my thoughts about myself - they are false. He says, "Would you blame yourself for diabetes, or for getting a broken leg?"

Well, YAH I would! LOLOL! EVERYthing is my fault!

Anyway - just do all you can today, and let tomorrow take care of itself, for "sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:14). In other words, we have plenty enough to think about TODAY! And you are not at fault for where you are at.

Take care!

[zoeboboey]

Originally Posted by jbhueston

this helps alot reading this. my mom is in absolute denial of being bipolar, schizophrenic. she thinks having a mental disorder affects her intelligience for some reason. in other words, she cannot be intelligent and have a mental disorder. and then i watch a movie like "a beautiful mind" and it makes me realize that she is wrong. we dont talk about it, the "b" word. she wont take her meds, she has been picked up a couple times now by the police for being a danger to herself.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{You and Mom}}}}}}}}}}}} Have you ever asked her to watch it with you? That is an AWESOME movie! or, if she likes to read, maybe she would be able to get more out of that.

There is a book called "An Unquiet Mind" by Kay Redfield Johnson, a psychiatrist who has bipolar illness (some pretty bad episodes I must say!) There is NO DOUBT as to the level of her intelligence - and she has learned, despite occasional relapses, how to manage her illness and still maintain her abilities and intelligent. It is an "easy" read in that it captivates you and inspires you

Try this link, if it doesn't work, just do a search on the title, either online or at your library - good luck! xo


http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geuopf9c...309%3fv=glance

[zoeboboey]

Originally Posted by HARRN2b

Zoe,

Thank you so much for your blessings. I think we all need them on some days. Life can be demanding and stressful!

Hugs,

Holly

Holly - ha ha, laughing at myself, I just typo'd "Holyy"

Oh well, anyway - You are so welcome and I agree - we ALL need blessings!

xo

[mindyg22]

Originally Posted by apaisRN

Delayed sleep syndrome is a fancy name for lazy . . . no, seriously, it is a real diagnosis where your internal clock wants to shift forward. Left to myself, I stay up later and later and sleep later and later, and can't sleep in sync with the rest of the world. It was disastrous when I was working evenings. For me it's just a matter of staying on top of it, getting to bed at a decent hour and having things I HAVE to go to, like work and class, that keep me getting up before noon. Occasional Ativan for sleep is good too. It's not that I'm a night owl, per se, I don't LIKE being up at night. My brain just wants me to.

I seriously think my husband could have this. He has a very hard time going to bed before 1 am or sometimes later and he wants to sleep until around 11 or 12. He is in college right now and it is hell on earth trying to get him up. I have to wake up early just to make sure he gets up to go. Also, trying to wake him up on the weekends is hell. How can I find out if this could be what he has? Will a doctor diagnose it? Everyone that he has been too thinks he is crazy. If he does go to bed when I do (about 10) he can't get to sleep for about 2 hours.

[zoeboboey]

Originally Posted by mindyg22

I seriously think my husband could have this. He has a very hard time going to bed before 1 am or sometimes later and he wants to sleep until around 11 or 12. He is in college right now and it is hell on earth trying to get him up. I have to wake up early just to make sure he gets up to go. Also, trying to wake him up on the weekends is hell. How can I find out if this could be what he has? Will a doctor diagnose it? Everyone that he has been too thinks he is crazy. If he does go to bed when I do (about 10) he can't get to sleep for about 2 hours.

I don't know if it is a "diagnosis" but I do know that I do that to a great degree - and that unless I discipline myself, I will stay up later and later (as a previous poster said).

My ex was horrible like that when he NEEDED to be somewhere, ie work or an appt, pretty soon I just let him suffer the consequences of not getting up because it was so stressful on ME to worry about where HE had to go! So, I don't know what I'm saying... Just that it's a struggle for a lot of people.

[kathi9]

Zoeboboey

Thank you! It helps to know I'm not alone in this.

Peace,

Kathi