Bipolar nursing student

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hello all,

I am a nursing student, and just within the last couple months was diagnosed as being bipolar. This last bit has been really rough for me, trying to deal with school, stabilizing, therapy... and mostly trying to figure our what the heck this all means in respect to my future. I haven't told anyone in my classes yet, and on numerous occasions i have heard other students speak of "crazies" with mental health issues, etc etc...and I AM SCARED!!!!!!!!! it seems that people are so quick to judge, and i have almost lost every ounce of self confidence that i ever had...

I am wondering if there are other nurses out there who have battled through all this, and how... i have to try and keep my had above the water but its really tough. Can i still be a good nurse? Will things get easier? how can I accept this reality... I am scared guys can anyone help??

Never ONCE did I claim to be perfect..heck neither myself nor anyone I KNOW CAN CLAIM THAT ! But holy moley. chill a wee bit! To the op...I have actually apologised, for stating my views, which, in the years I have been on this site, have found thats the purpose. Sharing opinions, experiences.

Danissa, I WAS NOT talking about you. I WAS talking in general dear and up until 2 seconds ago hadn't read what you posted above what I said. Yes, we each have an opinion about situations. Like they say, "opinions are like a**holes....we all got em."

OP press forward doll. The people in this world who make a difference are those who face adversity and moon it!!!!

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Specializes in midwifery, NICU.
I said. Yes, we each have an opinion about situations. Like they say, "opinions are like a**holes....we all got em."

:monkeydance:Fab!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Med-Surg, Cardiology.

I feel that you should try not to let the term "bipolar" define you because you are a human being with so many layers to your being. I know that it must be tough to deal with something recently diagnosed while being in college, but you can make it through this confusion just as others have. Honestly, people don't have the right to know all of your business, you have the right to not disclose your disorder to anyone at college. As for anyone who judges you based on being bipolar, leave that to be their problem and their ignorance if they don't accept you. Take care of yourself and I am sure that you will be fine. Don't ever for one second care about what others think because everyone has issues that they are dealing with and you are not isolated. You can make it and be good at anything that you set your mind to!

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Specializes in midwifery, NICU.

Again..with respect to all with opinions to share..I bow out now.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Med-Surg, Cardiology.
OK..jump on me if you will. I just feel, being Bipolar is a bit different from being diabetic etc! I'm NOT..I repeat NOT getting on the Op's back, but stand by my question..how can you take care of others in a crisis, if you are having an episode?

You mentioned the word crisis right..well if one is diabetic, then the risk for diabetic ketoacidosis, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, etc is always present. In other words, this may mean that at any point, they are likely to experience these symptoms, some of which are very dangerous while at work, school, or driving. One may easily fall into a hypoglycemic state, get confused and crash someone on the road but that does not mean that someone with diabetes should not drive. However, this just simply means control the process of the disorder (meds, nutrition, checking blood sugar, lithium levels, avoiding tyramine while on MAOI's, etc) and one should be fine.

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RNRoseShea is right--This is only one aspect of your life....don't let it become your life. Take very good care of yourself, learn about the disorder, and get on with your hopes and dreams. Find yourself a good support group, and share only with those that need to know, or you are comfortable with-especially until you come to terms with it yourself. Ultimately, it all boils down to how you look at it..........is it something to fear, or a challenge to overcome? If nursing is what you want, you can do it.

Debbie

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In my experiences (personal, not professonal...after all, I'm no psych nurse) bipolars are bad at self medicating and going off their prescribed meds.

I would think however, that as a nurse you would be better disciplined and more aware of the consequences. In my studies, for example, I have gained a new appreication for excercise and nutrition that I would never have had before, regardless of how many 'eat right and excercise' ads were thrown my way.

Something about knowing every nitty gritty detail that puts things into perspective for ya :)

We all have our issues, and as stated above I wouldn't let this diagnosis define you. There are people in my class who are "healthy" and just hanging on, and at the top of the class sits one person on anti-anxiety meds and one on anti-depressants.

Now here's the flip side of that. I have to be honest here, I think of the one on anti-depressants as not needing them and every time the one on anti-anxiety meds gets a little nutty I think in that train of thought...."a little nutty"....and I know better than to think that way.

I'm also hearing some people talk about a big mole on one instructors face, and others talking crap about what someone else is wearing one day....God forbid someone shows up to lecture in their PJs or without their makeup on. Once had a nurse at a facility that I was doing clinicals at tell me how one student was talking about "what a nutjob" one of my peers was and how she hoped she was never stuck with that student.

Point is, DON'T TELL ANY CLASSMATES. No good will ever come of it, and it will only become a point of stress for you. Tell the lead instructor or whoever does the Psych rotation if you feel the need to discuss it with faculty or need support/advice.

And hang in there and stay strong. And don't listen to a single person who gives you any idea that you can't pull this off. Just make sure you take care of yourself or you won't be in a position to take care of others. But taking care of yourself and taking care of others are in no way mutually exclusive.

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Specializes in obstetrics(high risk antepartum, L/D,etc.

I have a friend who is a family practice MD. She was dx as bipolar shortly after opening her practice. She has organized a support group in Denver that is very helpful. She also has a website that you might find useful -- beyondbipolar.com --

You are in my prayers.

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

[The board of nurse examiners requires that you fill out a declaratory order, that asked you if you have ever been arrested or have any mental illnesses. If you declare that you have a mental illness, they make people jump through a ton of hoops. I have heard that some have just left that box empty. I'm pretty sure those people didn't tell ANYONE about it for fear that it might get back to the BON.]

Alternator81-This is BAD advice. Suggesting sillyann should just lie about it to the nurses board is a stupid thing to suggest. If anything was to occur due to her being bipolar (and i'm not saying it will just hypothetically) and they found out she lied then there would be some pretty bad consequences for her.

My advice is to be honest and demonstrate responsibility. This is integral to nursing. I don't believe a person should be prevented from nursing because of a mental illness, however i do believe that the person should do the right thing by their patients and not practice if they are mentally unable to cope. And that goes for ppl who don't suffer from a mental illness as well.

I wish you all the best in your nursing career and hope that things work out for you.

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Specializes in ER/ medical telemetry.

I have a different oppinion on this subject.

Bipolar is a medical condition.

If you can make it through nursing school, then half the battle has been won.

School is an extremely stressful situation on all, healthy or not.

If you understand your imbalance, then it may be possible to stay on your treatment, and be successful.

Bipolar is the easiest to treat, but patients become non-compliant when in the manic phase.

Mental illness is the most misunderstood of all, and many esp. in the medical community; they just do not understand.

How many nurses have HIV, Hepatitis C?

They are critically judged...

Same goes with mental illnesses...

It is possible to be a successful nurse, if you really want to.

You just have to find the right envirionment.

Just remember life is stressful, but you just can't stay home behind closed doors!

Keep the faith, and live a good life... ;)

I am a nursing student, and just within the last couple months was diagnosed as being bipolar. This last bit has been really rough for me, trying to deal with school, stabilizing, therapy... and mostly trying to figure our what the heck this all means in respect to my future. I haven't told anyone in my classes yet, and on numerous occasions i have heard other students speak of "crazies" with mental health issues, etc etc...and I AM SCARED!!!!!!!!! it seems that people are so quick to judge, and i have almost lost every ounce of self confidence that i ever had...

I am wondering if there are other nurses out there who have battled through all this, and how... i have to try and keep my had above the water but its really tough. Can i still be a good nurse? Will things get easier? how can I accept this reality... I am scared guys can anyone help??

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Hi there SillyAnn86! I'm not a nurse yet (although God willing I'll be starting school soon) but I do have a lot of experience with Bipolar Disorder. My fiance has a SEVERE case of it and he's still a functional, normal, productive human being and a wonderful caretaker of me & his family. This disorder is something you have do deal with and handle, but by no means should it define you. Just because you have this issue doesn't mean you can't be the best nurse in the world! We all have demons, ya know? Confide in the people you trust, but for anybody else, it's not their business. The best suggestions I can offer are to take your meds exactly as directed, get as much rest as you can, and try to keep yourself on some type of schedule. Studies have shown that being on a schedule helps people with bipolar more than anything else. Hope some of this helps! Much love and support to you, I'll be sending good thoughts your way.

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I was diagnosed as bipolar 11 years ago. The best advice I can give you is to work with a doctor to get on medications that work for you. I had some with awful side effects (My husband's favorite was when I tried Lithium and it gave me "fish breath" that all the mints, gum and Listerine on earth couldn't combat.) and some that just didn't seem to "work", but once I found the right combination and dosage, I was a new person! I could get out of bed. I could eat. I could hold down a job. I didn't have the overwhelming desire at 1am to get up, brush my teeth for half an hour then organize my closet by color! There are still occasional bad times, but not so bad that I can't keep it together to do whatever needs to be done. I might go home and have a pint of Ben & Jerrys and cry for an hour, but usually I can recognize that whatever the issue is, it's not as bad as I'm making it in my head. Reducing stress and having a good support system of family and friends helps too. But if you're properly medicated, I doubt anyone in your professional life will ever know (or need to know) that you have a little touch of the crazies. ;)

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