Anyone have advice on how to Cope :(

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 17, 2004

First off, do not hold your feelings in. Take time to vent when you feel overwelmed.

Drink plenty of water. Try to eat the best you can.

Tone down the caffeine. Caffeine does not help the anxiety and stress levels.

Go out for a 15 minute walk. Look at everything around you, trees, flowers, etc. Tune out school while you do this.

Talk to your pastor (this REALLY helped me).

When you feel the tightness in your chest, sit back from the desk and take deep breaths in and out until it passes.

(Hard as it sounds, you HAVE to take out SOME time for yourself to retain your sanity.)

finchertwins, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2004

One thing we are taught in nursing school is how to treat our patients anxiety and stress. Try some relaxation techniques like, deep breathing, yoga, guided imagery, or treat yourself to a relaxing bath. I am still in nursing school and will graduate in December, I am a single father of 3. I still take care of myself and find a way to study and take care of my children. Another good way to help yourself out would be to write a schedule of when to study and what needs to be done, also put personal time on there, at least 40-60 minutes a day. It sound corny but it helps. If your symptoms of chest pain persisit it will be necessary to consult with your physician to assess a medication and stress reduction regiment so you will reduce your risks of further damage to your mitral valve and potential complications of the syndrom.

dave1117 · Oct 17, 2004

will help. If you have 6 tests next week I am assuming you are in a full time program and did not do any prereq's up front. Perhaps you need to slow the pace down a bit. If you can not handle the work load something is going to give. It sounds to ma as though something is about to give and it is your health and well being. Reevaluate my dear...and by all means consider spreading your classes out a little thinner. Good luck...dave :)

JamiRN · Oct 18, 2004

Used to have panic attacks...not cool. Anxiety is awful. Found that religion helped me. My kids are in school, learning bible verses for memory work. This one, hit home. "Cast all you anxieties on him, because he cares for you". That and a prescript for antidepressant. Got to take anxiety serious, it doesnt go away on its own. Can make a mess of a lot of things. Don't just brush it off as "I am busy with life now", got to deal with it. Good Luck :uhoh21:

lazydaze22 · Oct 18, 2004

See if your school has any type of counseling. Mine was free and I would go once a week to have a totally captive audience to vent to. It was great, and I even got some good suggestions on things. You know when you "know" all the right things to do, you just don't do them? My big thing right now is CSI. Come hell or high water, I'm gonna watch at least one episode a week at the right time. I schedule everything around that. It is MY time for ME. It gives me something to look forward to each week, I enjoy it, and it's an entire hour of relaxing on the couch. I also ignore the phone during this time. It really works wonders for me. :) Feel better and breathe!!

Katnip, RN · Oct 18, 2004

I agree with everyone else. You NEED that time for yourself.

Schedule breaks into your study time. Overystudying is as bad or worse than not studying. You can only absorb so much at a time.

Go for a walk, do yoga, meditate, pray, take a bubble bath. Whatever calms you best. Take time and DO IT.

Listen to soothing music. Not while you're studying, but sit back and listen to a few tracks that you enjoy, that help you become calm. Focus only on that. I like Enya. I can sit and listen to her and I imagine I'm walking on some Irish moor or beach, lol. Or lying in a hammock with a margarita in hand.

When you're taking your breaks, don't let thoughts of school enter your time. Just gently let them float past you. Don't dwell on them.

Push yourself too hard, you'll make yourself sick. Remember, you can't take care of others unless you take care of yourself.