Anxiety + Nurses = A Need for Support

j0yegan · Mar 22, 2014

A thread? Like this? Yeah, we can discuss anxiety here.

The anxiety of nursing... hmm. Where to begin.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Mar 23, 2014

Hello, and welcome to Allnurses!

A thread like this is a good way to start. We cannot offer any kind of medical advice here, but we can support each other and discuss the issues you talked about in your post.

There is also Facebook and other social media where you can start private/closed support groups. I have one that I started a year-and-a-half ago for nurses with mood disorders which is doing well, although I keep the group small so members can get the attention and support they need. (It also avoids the need for more than one administrator.) You can also start a blog; I'm a mental-health blogger who belongs to several networks, and I can tell you that there is PLENTY of interest out there in terms of mental health support. And believe me, if you write regularly and keep your content interesting, you'll find an audience.

In the meantime, you've made a good start with this thread, and I'm sure you'll hear from a lot of nurses and students. Anxiety is rampant in our profession, and it doesn't help that the working conditions are so poor for most of us, e.g. overwork and understaffing, too many petty rules, too much documentation, terrible managers etc. Personally, I tend to be anxious anyway, and nursing has only exacerbated it over the years to the point that I left clinical nursing last year. I've had nervous breakdowns twice because of work-related anxiety (which triggered bipolar symptoms as well) and I just couldn't throw myself against that wall anymore.

I'm glad you started this thread, and wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.

ePerfect · Mar 24, 2014

This would be wonderful! Especially for new grads (not unlike myself). We all need support systems whether we're new or experienced. Anxiety is HUGE in nursing and one of the best ways to help with it is to talk with other people who feel it as well. :)

nancysuzanne38 · Mar 24, 2014

Thank you so much for responding! VivaLasViejas thank you so much for your comments on how to go about doing this. I really want a safe environment and I'm stuck in trying to find that environment. I also want a moderator, I don't mind doing it but have no experience in really helping those deal with anxiety and nursing. I do know of a psychoanalyst but she hasn't really gotten my hints that she should come on board! Maybe I need to come right out and ask her. I hope to have a meeting next week with her to sort of talk more about my ideas and also to see how she could help or point me in the right direction. I'll keep you posted!