anyone find out that they have a mental illness

[misssarahRN]

I am am in my third quarter of my registered nursing program. I know the stress is ridiculous, but I am growing concerned that I may have a mental illness displaying itself. i don't have insurance and don't really have the time to be formally checked out, but I was just curious if anyone had a mental illness display itself during school and how you knew it was more than the same stress everyone else was going through?

I have a family history of both types of bipolar disorder on both side of the family( mom's sister is type one, dad is type two). I am 25 and think I am coming down from hypomanic episode, but it could be that my work load just ratcheted up a couple notches and I'm feeling the stress. I feel like my classmates are ganging up on me( I couldn't get anyone in my class to let me in their group for a group project), but then again we're all stressed and we're only on campus one day a week. Because I have such a strong family history of mental illness I have been worried about it all my life, but I know the longer you delay treatment the worse it gets.

[whiteoleander5]

I think everyone finds out their weaknesses in nursing school, whether it be physically, or... mentally...:wink2: Nursing school has given me full blown anxiety, with occasional panic attacks. Ive had them in the past but they have subsided for many years now... Until nursing school began. Then everything came to the surface again. I think for the first two or three weeks of school I went through some... post traumatic stress disorder??... Lol, I dont know, or something similiar. But i was just not myself and my life didnt feel right. I went back on anxiety meds, which I havent touched in a few years, and it has helped me significantly!... Still nervous, of course, but a more reasonable level. Just remember to never forget about yourself in the process of school. Our instructors always tell us "Take care of yourself if you want to do well..." and its very true!... If you think you need help from someone, then please get it. Good luck. :)

[lsvalliant]

I went to an ADN program at a community college and there was psychiatric services included in the student health clinic services. Do you pay a health fee at you school? You should look into it cuz its min cost.