How many nurses take antidepressants or antianxiety medication?

medpsychRN · Jan 28, 2005

Severely depressed after my mom died and fought going on meds tooth and nail. I was still in the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality. Meds have been a lifesaver as it gives me the ability to see things more clearly and make better decisions. Are nurses more prone to depression? You'd think so. In reality, we deal with some pretty depressing situations sometimes.

caren19 · Jan 28, 2005

I've been seeing therapists since 1998, and been on multiple medications. The meds fix a chemical imbalance in my brain, but it does not change the behavioral manifestations of my OCD. I think that one of the big issues in Nursing is that we don't take time to care for ourselves, we are in a profession that you have to give of yourself on a daily basis, and we need to make sure that we are getting some of that back. I love to take a walk after my shift, just to clear my head and to not bring home any negativeness home with me. I find such diversional activities really benefit my well-being. I would also strongly suggest that taking medications should be adjunctive therapy to seeing a counselor. :)

RN92 · Jan 28, 2005

I have been taking lexapro for almost 1 1/2 yrs. Told my PA that I will be the poster child for lexapro if he wants.

I know this is wandering off of the subject...I took Paxil for over 10yrs - and it worked great. Then over the last year, it just QUIT. I had forgotten how bad my depression could get. Im now on Lexapro (3mo). Not too impressed with it. How long did it take for it to help you.??

Shell5 · Jan 28, 2005

I take Zoloft 200mg q day, Topamax 50mg q am, 75mg q HS for Major Depression. I was misdiagnosed with Bipolar and a new psychiatrist diagnosed me with Borderline Personality Disorder which have some of the same characteristics of Bipolar. I am 36y/o and have been severely depressed since my mother died of a drug overdose when I was young, never learned to deal with it, turned it inward, became a drug addict, etc.... ended up in 3 drug treatments and with liver problems over many years. Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses (TPAPN), which is a program that helps nurses who are impaired with drugs, alcohol and/or mental illness, helped me get back on track. Been sober over 3 1/2 yrs. now. I help other people recover now. I agree there are several different types of depression. I had them all helpless, hopeless, situational, clinical. I work on a daily basis to recover. My first priority is my recovery because I know without it I cannot take care of anyone else. I am a nurse again and I am happy for once in my life. Thank God and TPAPN for saving my life.

medpsychRN · Jan 28, 2005

I know this is wandering off of the subject...I took Paxil for over 10yrs - and it worked great. Then over the last year, it just QUIT. I had forgotten how bad my depression could get. Im now on Lexapro (3mo). Not too impressed with it. How long did it take for it to help you.??

Was on Prozac for almost 10 years when my depression crept back. After talking to my psychiatrist, I found out those SSRI's will eventually quit working. You may want to talk to your psychiatrist about your meds.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48013&highlight=nurses+antidepressants

Here's a long thread that's more than a year old that you might find interesting as well.

I agree with Angie, it can sometimes be an inherited problem. My mom and all three of us kids have had issues with depression and anxiety. I've been medication free since the mid-80s fortunately.

weetziebat · Jan 28, 2005

i've always been 'anxious', but wasn't till i started traveling extensively, in 1991, that i had any problems. then began havine major panic attacks. like others, thought i was dying! took a looooong time for them to be diagnosed properly but once it was i was put on paxil 40mg. daily, and it has been a lifesaver.

i fought taking medication, feeling like a neurotic middle-aged woman, until my pcp said he takes meds too and pointed out that if you have poor vision, you wear glasses or contacts - so with panic attacks you take medication. won me over and boy, am i glad. now sometimes i can feel a panic attack coming on but am able to stop it before it gets bad.

and, just my opinion, but don't think it has anything to do with nursing.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

I take Zoloft 200mg q day, Topamax 50mg q am, 75mg q HS for Major Depression. I was misdiagnosed with Bipolar and a new psychiatrist diagnosed me with Borderline Personality Disorder which have some of the same characteristics of Bipolar. I am 36y/o and have been severely depressed since my mother died of a drug overdose when I was young, never learned to deal with it, turned it inward, became a drug addict, etc.... ended up in 3 drug treatments and with liver problems over many years. Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses (TPAPN), which is a program that helps nurses who are impaired with drugs, alcohol and/or mental illness, helped me get back on track. Been sober over 3 1/2 yrs. now. I help other people recover now. I agree there are several different types of depression. I had them all helpless, hopeless, situational, clinical. I work on a daily basis to recover. My first priority is my recovery because I know without it I cannot take care of anyone else. I am a nurse again and I am happy for once in my life. Thank God and TPAPN for saving my life.

Congrats on your sobriety. :)

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

I am considering taking Zoloft because most of the nurses I know have had excellent results from it..and I need something to help! Alas...lol, my PCP is also who I am trying like crazy to work for...nice huh...so I do tend to fear being on an antidepressant precribed by him and trying to work for him..LOL! But oh well...may have to give that pipe dream up huh? LOL!!!!!!

My hubby says if I don't get an antidepressant, he will divorse me (he is kidding to a point...). So guess it is time! LOL!!!!!!!

FZ1Tom · Jan 28, 2005

I saw this thread yesterday afternoon, but work was looming and I decided I'd chew on it for a while before posting my (long winded) thoughts.

I realize that many folks do better taking psychotropic meds, however, I often wonder if the potential side effects are worth it or not. I work for MR/DD adults, often with many other disorders like MI, autism, epilepsy, you name it. Consequently, I've become all too familiar with the various effects of antipsych meds like Ativan, Depakote, Risperdal, Klonopin, Prozac, Paxil, on and on. So many of the clients seem to be just flat "out of it" and not oriented. Some sleep practically all day. Others seem to be totally unaffected by the meds and have the same behavioral issues they always had.

I'd think long and hard before going on an antianxiety/antidepressant med, and Lord only knows I got enough reason to be stressed out....broke, shoulda filed bankruptcy, crappy employers, mood swings, hordes of little problems, my current medical issues (diabetes/hypertension, prostate problems and side effects thereof), on and on.

I recall a conversation with a NP I had while I was with my previous employer just before I got axed. I had blown my stack a few days earlier at being jerked around and generally abused by clients and other staff (it had gone on for months too) and after forgetting to initial an MAR entry and getting chewed out (its a pretty long story, but I won't bore you with the details) I punched a hole in the wall down the hallway (unfortunately I missed the wall stud), with predictable consequences. Anyway, the NP, a nice lady I thought highly of, asked me if I wanted to take anything for that 'wound up too tight' problem (prolly Paxil, but I dunno). I declined, explaining that I felt medications were often a solution in search of a problem, so to speak, and that while in many cases were appropriate, many folks taking them could do just as well without if they had a workable alternative.

To me, I think 'getting a life', so to speak is the single most important factor in dealing with depression/anixety issues. I used to ride a motorcycle, intend to get another one if its the last thing I do, and was undeniably a much happier and more self-satisfied person while I had the bike......sure I had problems just like everyone else, but I also had a constructive outlet.

Bottom line is, while I think meds are useful and a necessary component of dealing with depression/anxiety/stress issues, it would be unwise to think of them as a end-all, be-all solution too!

Just my .02, tho........

Tom

weetziebat · Jan 28, 2005

i totally understand where you are coming from, tom. i too work with mr/dd clients and know how meds can affect them, or not. and i do sometimes wonder why, all of a sudden, antidepressants and antianxiety meds seem to be soo common. and i also know that for my panic attacks, i could live without taking meds, but i would be living in a cotton wrapped coccoon.

for years i was treated for anaphylaxis of unknown etiology - would break out in hives covering my entire body, have my esophagus close, become s.o.b., have diarrhea, my face would get puffy and red, and i'd practically die thinking i was gonna die. was hospitalized twice, in numerous e.r.'s for steroids i.v., spent weeks at a time on steroids and had a miserable life wondering when another attack would hit. was finally given im benadryl and iv steroids to carry so i could inject myself. it was not pleasant. i never did manage to hit the vein. :uhoh3:

since being on paxil (almost 5 years) i have not had an attack, despite traveling extensively (which was guaranteed to bring on an attack in the past.) so i personally will risk side effects in order not to live with panic attacks. being anxious and feeling depressed do not call for meds, but i don't think that is what the folks here are talking about. when you have incapacitating symptoms, you take meds to allow yourself to cope. big difference. anyway, thats my :twocents:

akcarmean, LPN · Jan 29, 2005

I will have to say that meds are not the only answer. You need therapy and outlets and to work out the underlying problems. But I think the meds should be taken so you can get yourself undercontrol so you can start to work on the underlying issues. I have been on several types of medications since 1997. Have been in counsoling several times. I was on my medicine for so long it just stopped working. I got new meds and started back in therapy. You need both meds wont cure everything. You do need some type of therapy.

Just my 2 cents

Angie