feelings of impending doom

Nurses Stress 101

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Specializes in telemetry, icu, med/surg, peds.

Hi all! I want to know if anyone else feels like this. I have been a nurse for 5 years working nights. In the last year, all day before I go to work I feel as if something bad is going to happen. I used to take naps before work, but I always wake up within 20 minutes or so feeling anxious as if something really terrible is just waiting for me. Of course, when I get to work, nothing seems to "go wrong" as I know I am feeling without just cause. I said something to my husband about it and he of course thinks it's as stupid as can be. Does anyone else feel this way? I almost feel like I am going to freak out sometimes. Thanks for any ideas or suggestions.

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Specializes in Psych, Pediatrics, GI, Diabetes.

Kinda sounds like the beginnings of an anxiety attack...has work been abnormally stressful for you - or anything in your life more stressful than usual that might be triggering them??

I used to have these "attacks" happen while I was in school during clinicals, but I had all the physical symptoms, too (rapid heartbeat, sweating, feeling queasy/faint...just outright panicked, "curl up in a corner" freak out)...but it turned out in hindsight that I have/had issues with anxiety anyways, and clinicals just brought them out in full force...try talking to your doctor about them and see what might work for you...I ended up doing major talk therapy in the long run, but in the short term, I ended up taking a very small dose of Klonopin to level my head out...(had to get through the clinicals - after that, just did the talk therapy)

Sooooo...it just depends on how much it disrupts your life/job when you decide what to do treatment-wise, but definitely recommend seeing an MD...good luck!!

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Specializes in telemetry, icu, med/surg, peds.

Thanks for the input. No more stress than usual, I think. Maybe, I have just let things build up over time.

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I think the fact that you work nights may have something to do with it. Really messes up your body after a while. I was a night person for years and when I got well into my 40s I started feeling and acting bizzaro. Honestly, when I was young working nights was not a problem, I actually thrived. The change came very slowly and for a while I thought I was going crazy, a bad person or a bad nurse. Got off night on to evenings and saw a big improvement.

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I 2nd what cocoon2butterfly said- it sounds like an issue with anxiety to me. I have the same impending doom issues, expecting the worst, being nervous when things are going to well because that means something bad is on its way to me...

I'm also doing talk therapy which has been helpful, am on anti-depressants and have klonopin on hand for attacks, which I have not had lately.

What also helps is exercise, yoga, getting outside between the hours of 10 and 2, and focusing on taking slow, deep breaths. I tend to breathe more shallowly and quickly, which I think contributes to other physical feelings of anxiety.

I would also consider getting your vitamin D levels tested and doing some research on ideal vit. D levels. Several studies are suggesting that it's much higher than is currently thought, and vit. D is important in mood regulation among other things.

Can you switch to days for a little while to see if that makes a difference? Do you keep the same sleep schedule when you're not working?

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