Depressed with only one semester left

Nursing Students General Students

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Hello guys, I really need some advice or at least a place to vent.

I graduate in less than 4 months and start preceptorship soon. But I am really depressed and don't know how I can finish the semester. I haven't been eating and didn't sleep at all the night before. My anxiety feels so bad I feel like I have to throw up.

I know how crazy this makes me sound, but I kept hoping I would get hurt so I wouldn't have to go to school. For example, I imagined going to a gas station and someone robs me and injures me so bad, and I wanted something like that to happen so I wouldn't have to go to school. I know how insane this makes me seem.

I am tempted to take a short leave of absence, just for the semester so I can get my mental health together by going back to my therapist (I know I was an idiot to stop going and taking my meds). I am worried though that if I take a leave of absence I will feel worse.

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Talk with your nursing advisers as soon as possible and figure out your options. To me, a leave of absence for a semester or so seems like the best solution. You need time to be able to focus on your health and get better, and staying in nursing school probably isn't going to give you the time and energy you'll need for that. Trying to do both, or even just ignoring your mental health needs, will also prevent you from learning everything while you finish your program and getting everything you can get out of your preceptorship. You want to be able to devote your full attention to both goals (nursing and mental health), so doing them separately is probably going to give you better outcomes.

And this doesn't make you sound "crazy." Thoughts like that and depression are more common than people realize.

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idkmybffjill,

Thank you so much for your response. I talked to my adviser today and it is very likely I will take a leave of absence. I will get some professional help and hopefully complete my preceptorship in the summer semester.

Thank you again!

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I'm glad your adviser was able to help you set that up then. :)

I'm sure you will be able to put your effort into getting your health in order and then come back and kick butt in your classes and preceptorship.

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Specializes in Medsurg/Tele.

What you stated doesn't make you crazy, but it does show that a leave of absence is for the best. Right now, taking care of your mental health is a priority as well as maintaining a healthy diet and receiving adequate sleep. The anxiety you feel may not lessen and may get worse. To me, being at clinicals requires you to be attentive to patients and trying to ensure you are practicing safely. But as idkmybffjill said, speak to your advisor or school nurse and see how they can help you come to the best possible outcome.

Get better so you can finish nursing school with ease!

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I'm glad you have figured out a solution. Just make sure you actually get back to school this summer. Don't let your anxiety prevent you from going back to school!

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idkmybffjill,

Thank you so much for your response. I talked to my adviser today and it is very likely I will take a leave of absence. I will get some professional help and hopefully complete my preceptorship in the summer semester.

Thank you again!

Hang in there. Sending positive energy your way, for whatever it's worth ;) Keep well, but above all... finish (your program) healthy.

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