Anxiety

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I'm in my second semester of nursing school. I noticed last semester I started developing major anxiety. I have never experienced this and I mean I passed my first semester not by the grades I wanted, but I think this anxiety is taking a toll in me. When I talk to my friends they don't seem to understand and my parents don't believe I have anxiety. Has anyone experienced this and what have you done?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Welcome to Allnurses.com!

Back when I was a nursing student, many of my classmates went to their doctors and sought medical advice for their issues with anxiety. Many were prescribed anxiolytic medications.

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I second TheCommuter. Nursing school is stressful, if your health is taking a toll, you need to get evaluated by your doctor. Take care of yourself.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I can truly relate to this. I have anxiety too. It got real bad my last semester. My BP was high even though I was doing well I would still worry. One of my instructors said I should look in to medication, but I took Mental nursing and I knew the side effects. My advice to you is to exercise and find someone to confide in. I exercised, prayed and went to bible study. I also recommend after big exams relax and do something you like. Give yourself some ME time.

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I would talk to a doctor. Some schools also offer their own counseling services and have employees that are mental health professionals. I would look into that as well.

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Specializes in ICU.

Remember to always put yourself first. Be sure to get adequate sleep, eat well, and exercise frequently but take it slow if you haven't been exercising regularly. Balance school work with time for yourself doing whatever you like - Facebook, Pinterest, talking with friends, going out, reading for fun, etc. etc. During one particularly hectic semester, I began to feel mentally out of sorts and it's because I had stopped taking care of myself. I got back into a good diet, regularly ate all 3 meals, and exercised. I felt like myself again after a couple weeks.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
Remember to always put yourself first. Be sure to get adequate sleep eat well, and exercise frequently but take it slow if you haven't been exercising regularly. Balance school work with time for yourself doing whatever you like - Facebook, Pinterest, talking with friends, going out, reading for fun, etc. etc. During one particularly hectic semester, I began to feel mentally out of sorts and it's because I had stopped taking care of myself. I got back into a good diet, regularly ate all 3 meals, and exercised. I felt like myself again after a couple weeks.[/quote']

I second this. I have an anxiety disorder (unmediated) and I learned a long time ago that pushing myself too hard would end up leaving me useless. Get enough sleep. Eat right. Exercise. Take time off for yourself. I know it can feel like you don't have time for all that, but what you don't t have time for is a mental breakdown.

And see a professional if you think you might need a little more help than that.

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Specializes in Pediatric.

I feel your pain. I've struggled with anxiety and depression my whole life. My anxiety would intermittently get worse and then better during school.

I agree with everyone's suggestions. Also, is it situation specific anxiety or generalized?

I know that when I haw situation specific anxiety (eg, panicking the night before clinical) one thing that helped was to be prepared. Packed lunch, set out scrubs, set alarms, etc. made me feel more in control. And essentially anxiety is a feeling of no control.

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I am so sorry to hear this, I have some anxiety r/t nursing school. I honestly have overcome it. Somehow nursing school has made me gain control of the anxiety. I begin to think, "will I have time to have an anxiety attack if a patient codes, or when I have to pass medications to 7 patients, while my pager is ringing off the hook, while family members are demanding this-&-that? Now the thought of that bring some anxiety, but in a weird way it makes me hold back up a minute and realize I have got to control my anxiety. So here are some tips, enough yappin' right?

When problems arise or stress streams your way ... firstly...

Take a deep breath... now...

Identify the issue.

Identify the etiology.

"it is what it is, and I must work WITH the issue not against it" - me

List out solutions- even the ones you may think may never work... because you never know and you must try every avenue possible

Consider every solution individually of all others, and NOW consider if it is possible or not.

Cross out or erase all solutions that cannot work because, they simply can't and that's life.

Now, list in accordance to what YOU think is the best from #1 to #(how many every solutions you have)

Pick the top 3 and for now, forget all others.

Play a scenario in you head, how will these work? Consider...

How you will implement, how it will affect you?

With your intuition, decide which is the best.

Finally, implement and do so with no fears while remaining flexible.

I know. I know. It seems like a long long list but you really do not even need paper... at least not after the first time you try this concretely, afterwards I assure you this will stick abstractly.

Now, I am just a nursing student... I am no wise nurse guru, but this is what helped me and I hope and pray to God that now that I have this mentally down and can list solutions in matter of seconds to minutes it calms my anxieties when I become a Registered Nurse.

Note: I have always been an anxious negative type of person, and I have come to the conclusion that if I decide to truly pursue nursing I must change this about myself, I will be truly anxious all the time and I refuse to live that way. I admire those nurses who take care of 20 problems in no more than 15 minutes with such grace and so... calmly. Yeah. I REALLY want to be that one day.

(= Good luck. I am a second semester student as well BTW. So we must be around the same stages, experiencing some same stuff? Depending on your program. So I know what you are going through.

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I would also like to add, my friends do not understand haha. Begin to familiarize yourself with your nursing buddies... only they understand. (= Your friends will NEVER understand unless they go to nursing school ... they can only recognize and be supportive.

okay, now I will go ... I sure do talk a storm.

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I would also like to add, my friends do not understand haha. Begin to familiarize yourself with your nursing buddies... only they understand. (= Your friends will NEVER understand unless they go to nursing school ... they can only recognize and be supportive.

okay, now I will go ... I sure do talk a storm.

Very good advice! I also have depression and anxiety disorder. Before I was put on a good SSRI, I would have full blown panic attacks that would just come out of nowhere. It seemed like they would sneak up on me with no apparent rhyme or reason. Those are the worst! Its like an out of body experience... like being disconnected with reality. Ugh.

I haven't had one of those in quite some time and hope I never will again.

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