Advice on how to handle extreme anxiety

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Hello everyone,

I am in my second semester of a 2 year program and am having intense anxiety issues in med surge clinicals. I try to be as prepared as I can, but it just seems so daunting and when the anxiety prevails, my body and my brain lock up and it is as if I did not know anything. I can rationalize that the fear is unnecessary, but somehow that old sympathetic nervous system just takes over. Thanks for any help....

Specializes in Psychiatry.
"Better living through chemistry!"

Not always.............

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Walking and meditation help for me--I have heard of biofeedback as very helpful but never tried it. Chammomile tea and perhaps check yoiur diet--too much caffeine and sugar only increase it.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I forgot to mention, aromatherapy is wonderful too.

Especially (at least for me) lavender. It is very calming and smells great :)

Best to you,

Diane

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i know this is an older thread, but i hope that someone will see my post and respond. i have been suffering from extreme anxiety and have about reached the end of my rope a few times. this week i started a new clinical rotation and the night before i could barely sleep. in fact, i slept for about 2 hours and then woke up at 1:00 am and stayed awake. nothing i did could even come close to relieving my pounding heart and anxious thoughts. i cried and cried. i came very close to not going to clinicals and going to see the director of the school instead to let her know i am withdrawing! i have actually been doing very well both clinically and in theory but the stress i face is overwhelming these days. i never sleep more that 4 or 5 hours, and my heart is always pounding. i'm afraid i'm going to end up with htn or cardiac hypertrophy! the most difficult part of the program is coming up over these next two months and i am frankly terrified. my husband says stop trying for a's but what i try to explain is that i am not really aiming for a's but trying my best to really learn the material and complete all my assignments and i don't know how to make that effort half-way. i can't continue on this way but i also don't want to leave the program after all i have put in and it is my life's dream to care for others as a nurse. i want to go on medication but need to be alert and able to function, learn, and retain what i've learned. i have a friend on prozac and she is very, very outgoing---sometimes inappropriately so and i don't really want to lose my inhibitions like that. can anyone please tell me about some good anti-anxiety meds for nursing students and how they make you feel and function. thanks so much.

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I was the same way my freshman year. Did not know how to go at half speed and sleeping very little. I combined relaxation techniques, with prayer and an occassional use of xanax. I was afraid it would make me foggy but it did not. My doc prescribed 0.25mg and sometimes I cut that in half just to take the edge off. It is a benzo so something not to rely on all of the time unless your doc thinks so.

For me, getting a year under my belt, really examining what was truly important (learning every little thing perfectly or a compromise that I could live with), asking for help from friends and family, seeing my doc, listening to soft music, exercise, breathing...............a little bit of everything helped me rise above the chaos in my head and get some perspective.

I would speak with an instructor you trust and get some guidance. Countless students have been in your shoes. I was able to get a lot of comfort and encouragement through this thread and thoughout allnurses.com.

Know you are not alone and that you can get through this. You may not think so, but it is true.

Learning to help yourself is a wonderful step to learning how to take care of your patients.

I also researched anxiety and physiologically, as you become more and more anxious, you become more and more unable to observe, collect and retain information. It can really make one foggy. The meds available now, can help without the fog, or becoming uninhibited. It really helped me. I don't use xanax every day, and now, I can go to clinicals without anything and be fine. I have never slept very well before a clinical though, so I try to compensate by making sure I get a good night's sleep two nights before. And if you can't sleep, just try to relax, lisiten to calming music, pray, use EFT, any tool that helps you unwind.

Good luck and don't be fearful of asking for more help here or from docs, friends, classmates, instructors, anyone.

Best of luck and God bless. You cann get through this!:nurse:

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thank you so very much for your caring, candid, and understanding reply. i really can't tell you how much i appreciate it. i hope to never have another day like i had this week. it was scary, feeling so close to the edge of completely losing control over my anxiety, and unfortunately it is the second time in a month where it's happened. i bought some inositol today; i heard it helps to relieve anxiety and is a sleep aid. i figured i would give it a try while i look for a doctor so i can try the xanax. it sounds like it is exactly what i need for the really rough patches. thank you again with all my heart for your feedback and thoughtful suggestions. it helps a lot to know i'm not the only one and that this, too, shall pass. god bless you.

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The very best to you. And hang in there, we always need nurses that really care to be as good as they can be. Whatever you learn from this will help in your patient care for sure.

Sincerely and with best regards!:redbeathe

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I just had to reply. I had severe anxiety during my LPN program. Facing "real" patients terrified me. I am talking curled up in my bed in the fetal position crying. I was so close to quitting. I really can't imagine anyone being as bad as I was at that time. It was scary. Like you, my grades were great and my teachers said I was doing fine. I just could not handle the anxiety especially before clinicals. Out of desperation, I was about to quit, my husband made an appointment for me with a therapist. I saw her and got a little prescription for a prn "happy pill". I also relied on my friends. I had one clinical teacher I could confide in. She was so supportive. (We are still friends). Trust me, you are not as bad as I was. I don't know if you are spiritual but I got some books to read. One that really helps me is "Streams in the Desert". It has daily devotionals that really "talk" to me. The night before clinicals, I take a bath and read scriptures. It has become my ritual and is very comforting to me somehow. One of my friends told me just do your best...that is all that you can do. I think I am a perfectionist and it really stressed me. My point is, I successfully became an LPN and am now 4 weeks from completing my RN program. Do not quit until you have explored all your options for help. I am so proud of myself and believe things happen for a reason. Maybe I went through all this so I can have more empathy for those experiencing anxiety? Who knows but (and I hate to say this, I really do not have an ego) I am a really good, caring, empathitic nurse. I still have anxiety and use my "happy pill" on occasion but I am much better. Hang in there. I have a feeling you will be a great nurse. Metfan

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Specializes in IMCU.

See someone. By all means you could see a psychiatrist and obtain a prescription but do not discount seeing someone who can assist you in gaining skills that help you manage this. I don't dismiss the idea of medication but know it can take ages to find one that works and doesn't have intolerable side effects.

I am a big fan of cognitive behavioral therapy.

I really wish you the best.

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I too suffer from extreme anxiety during clinicals. I am in my mid forties and have suffered with anxiety most of my life. I perform very well with my theory classes and tests but when I get to clinicals in the hospital, I "stress out". I feel very intimidated by the instructors and even though I know what to do theoretically most of the time, my hands sweat, I "blank" when asked questions that I know from the instructor and I look foolish. I find myself being ridiculed by fellow classmates and would like any helpful sugestions please.

Thanks

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I wonder if it has to do with our desire to be "perfect". It seems that the students who get extreme anxiety are those that do excellent in theory. I, myself, am a great test taker but feel I suck at clinical. I know I don't suck. Whenever I make a minor mistake I am very hard on myself. I know I have progressively let go of the perfection need but it is hard. It really is stupid because we are all human and nobody is perfect. Just a thought. I can say from experience that the anxiety does get better. I graduate in a few weeks and no longer feel very anxious. I got a therapist and took some meds. It got me through and now I don't need either. Metfan

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Thanks metfan, what you are saying makes total sense to me because I am very perfectionistic and hard on myself, however very encouraging and supportive of everyone else.....maybe I need to give myself a break....I'm a little scared to try meds because our instructor has made it very clear that we are not to be "under the influence" while at clinicals....we're not even supposed to take benadryl for allergies because it can make us "sleepy".

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