Nursing School Depression?

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Hi everyone!

So I am going through bit of a rut right now. I am newly married and I am currently halfway done with nursing school. But lately, I have been feeling so "off" and feel depressed. I am currently taking an antidepressant, but I do not believe it is helping! Its crazy because I can be happy leaving class and talking with my friends from school, then during the drive home my mood instantly changes, and I am in a bad mood for the rest of my night. My husband doesn't understand. We had been dating for a long time before we got married, and I am normally so happy! I would describe myself as giddy, smiley, and always laughing. But lately (since nursing school started) I have not been the same.

I get very anxious when tests come up, and as all of you may know the workload of school is INSANE, so sometimes I only have a few days to study for an exam. My husband states, "Well how long have you known about that exam?" or, "When did you get that assignment?" It makes me feel worse and makes me feel like he doesn't understand me. I feel dead inside, and don't feel like my normal self. It scares me that I will never go back to being happy.

Is anyone else feeling this way in nursing school? I just don't know what to do.

Thank you!

Hi everyone!

So I am going through bit of a rut right now. I am newly married and I am currently halfway done with nursing school. But lately, I have been feeling so "off" and feel depressed. I am currently taking an antidepressant, but I do not believe it is helping! Its crazy because I can be happy leaving class and talking with my friends from school, then during the drive home my mood instantly changes, and I am in a bad mood for the rest of my night. My husband doesn't understand. We had been dating for a long time before we got married, and I am normally so happy! I would describe myself as giddy, smiley, and always laughing. But lately (since nursing school started) I have not been the same.

I get very anxious when tests come up, and as all of you may know the workload of school is INSANE, so sometimes I only have a few days to study for an exam. My husband states, "Well how long have you known about that exam?" or, "When did you get that assignment?" It makes me feel worse and makes me feel like he doesn't understand me. I feel dead inside, and don't feel like my normal self. It scares me that I will never go back to being happy.

Is anyone else feeling this way in nursing school? I just don't know what to do.

Thank you!

I'm sorry you are going through this. Emotional stability is very important during nursing school. Stress and burnout can be tough especially when you feel like you have excessive workload and little support. It does require lots of self adaptability and resilience. If anything do not give up and try to find someone you trust and can talk to personally about your situation. I wish you the best FutureNurseCT.

Specializes in CMSRN, hospice.

First, congratulations on your marriage and on starting nursing school! Even these good things can cause some stress, so what you're going through is totally understandable.

If your medication doesn't seem to be doing the trick as usual, I would follow up with your doctor about your symptoms and feelings. Sometimes ay stressful times, meds can be adjusted for a period of time to help (I'm speaking from my own experience, so your mileage may vary). If your college or university has a counseling center, definitely check that out as well. Mine helped me immensely during nursing school by being a listening ear and helping me learn to cope with school and personal stressors.

Nursing school can be hard on our partners. Your husband may not know how to be supportive during this time, so he asks these less than helpful questions. Can you think of concrete ways that he can help you? If so, maybe try asking him to do those things - take care of dinner or dishes the night before exams, just listen and snuggle when you need to vent, let you practice assessment skills and such with him. It's important to be able to communicate how you feel to him, and for him to do the same with you. He may never totally "get" the nurse thing, but he can certainly help you deal when it gets tough.

Finally, make sure you're doing all that self-care stuff that can get neglected. Eat and sleep well, exercise a couple times a week, have a solid study schedule so you get the important stuff done and reviewed. And make time to just be YOU outside of school every now and then and do the things you like. Nursing school is important, but don't let it TOTALLY become your identity.

NightNerd, ASN, RN: Thank you very much! It's been fun being married! But yeah it is stressful when he doesn't know the nursing process, or the time or effort it takes!

And thank you for the advice on maybe supplementing the meds and getting help at the school counselor. I have considered reaching out to them, but I feel that I don't have the time! Especially when it comes to self care as well. But I NEED to make this a priority in order to feel better.

Thank you so much for your great advice!

Proverbs16:24

Thank you very much! I think I will try seeking out the counselors at the school or an outside therapist just to vent!

I have nothing to add but support. Nursing school, going to clinicals, dealing with illness, patients, doctors, is real life grown up stuff.

You may be trying to come to terms with that, and yea, it's rough.

Little steps, one test, one class at a time.

Good luck to you.

I got like this my last year, just graduated last month, just now getting outta my funk! I think it was a combo of being shut in studying for 4 years and burn out fatigue. Go get in the sun, take a mini vacation, break up the monotony a little bit. Also as suggested, talk therapy never hurt anyone.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Moved to General Nursing Student forum

Specializes in Critical Care.

OP, this is exactly how I feel right now. I just finished my first year of nursing school (2 year degree) so I'm halfway to my RN... but I feel terrible all the time anyway. I should be relieved, happy I got good grades, excited for next year - but I just feel exhausted, depressed, and over it. I'm trying to get out of it by turning my attention to non-nursing school stuff. Yesterday I told my handsome, long-suffering, totally patient partner (who is totally used to my emotional instability r/t nursing school) that I had to get the eff out of the city I live in so we're planning to go hiking at an amazing state park that's about 4 hours out of town over Memorial Day weekend. I'm focusing on preparing for that rather than thinking about nursing school and what I've learned and how far I have to go and blah blah blaaaaahhhh and I do feel a bit better now!

So I don't have much by way of advice, I guess I'm just venting too. You're not alone!

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