While visiting in the lounge one day, we discovered that every nurse there was on an anti-depressant.
I have had 'Treatment Resistant Depression' for about 20 years--as long as I've been a nurse. Now I am totally burned out, on major meds, and am seeking disability d/t depression/anxiety.
I beleive years of long hours, high stress, high expectations and little appreciation (from management, not patients) has contributed to this.
How many other jobs consider you a tratior b/c you call in sick? And trying to get off for a sick child is an unforgivable sin. How many other jobs want you to work overtime on the days you are scheduled, call you at all hours of the night or day when you are off, first pleading w/ you to come in, then laying a guilt trip on you if you say "NO!" And let's not forget the mandatory inservices and CEU's that take time away from your family.
If any profession should understand the importance of the individuals' physical, mental, social and spiritual self it should be nursing--after all we are taught in nursing school about treating the patient as a whole, not just a disease! Why don't we treat our staff the same way.
Hey, you have quite a great daughter there. Doing much for a nineteen year old. You are right on. Check out all the other things that could be leading to the Sx, but it also sounds like at least some situational depression.......something to look out for.
Specializes in ER, PED'S, NICU, CLINICAL M., ONCO..
It seems as if there was a link between subjects of discussion. A general complaint behind everybody's words (including myself). I mean, not only on this issue, but on other themes apparently not related. I mentioned it already; "it is in our genes". Our millennial past of slavery, prostitution and religion condemns us. The problem comes not from management or patients or public ideas about us. "It is not a situation but the pressure we put on ourselves under this situation what stresses us, because we carry an unconscious stigma. To be free of depression we must be free of stress, and for that.... we must annihilate our past
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
Free of stress.....yes, that would be the ultimate solution! Unfortunately, there is no such thing in modern life, so the best we can expect is to be able to deal with the stress we have without losing our minds. Achieving, and then maintaining, this delicate balance is a lifelong struggle which is made all the more difficult by mood disorders such as depression. It's not that it can't be done---only that we who suffer from these afflictions must work harder than the so-called "normal" population to achieve anything approaching normality, IMHO.
I tell you this, if Labs, Clinicals, Lectures, 24 hrs a week of CNA med surg, plus study and keeping Mario happy isn't stress enough to cause depression.....what is? I walk a tightrope of cerebral overload from bigger and bigger waves of nursing data. Just because I mention nontraditional mental methods of maintaining adequate physical wellbeing DOESN'T/SHOULDN'T make me open season for depressed people.
And I admitt that when I am mentally tired and weary from a full plate of life, exercising isn't appealing. You have to be mentally steady to sweat, so don't pigeon hole me as some Richard Simmons guy barking about fitnesss. When I do overcome the propensity of an object at rest who likes to stay at rest, and do my one hour of physical fitness a day, I am proud of myself, and i am the only person can ever be proud of me. But when i pity myself, there is no worser feeling.
For the record, you gotta do something. What are you gonna do? You have to do something about your depression. I never intended to harm anyone by explaining a way I do things. Please do not paint me as someone who doesn't understand just because I am trying to motivate. What am I supposed to do? Now get your belly on the deck and give me 20 good ones :-) Lol. I'm sorry
you ask what is enough to cause depression? Everyone is different, everyone's coping mechanisms are different. So is their history. Let me answer your question, what is enough to cause depression, the list being not all inclusive. I welcome any additions to the list. Here goes: divorce, death of a loved one or partner, loss of a job, loss of a role, history of physical or mental, or sexual abuse, rape, SAD, chronic fatique syndrome, fibromyalgia, hypothryroidism, Ca, progressive diseases, alchoholism or drug addition or abuse, hormonal imbalances, grief, constant stress of job, or school without a support system, etc.
You are not open season for depressed people, you are open season for those of us not suffering from depression too!
BTW, you state you have been in the military, but I saw on a thread in the War and Terrorism discussion that you admit you were never in the military, I am confused about all this. Will you let me know what is please?
Mario, to be perfectly honest, you seem like a pretty decent guy. From my perspective, I don't see you as having had "open season" declared on you you by a bunch of depressed people based on your alternate ideas (ie imagery and exercise)as ways to combat depression. Rather, it seems that many of us have merely been pointing out that while these methods have been proven to be helpful, that they tend to be more helpful in milder forms of depression. When you are in such a severe depression that you can barely make it out of bed, exercise "aint gonna happen", and while imagery can be soothing, it does only go a short way for someone in a severe state of depression (I for one, cannot achieve it at all, ever, but that's me). Count yourself lucky, you are someone who can go through stress and not let it break you....yeah, it feels crappy, but it the end, you come out ok. It's not that way for everyone. And I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't "paint you as someone who doesn't understand" because you are "trying to motivate". Rather, I paint you as someone who doesn't understand, because you've never been in that dark, dark place. And Mario, you don't want to be there. Believe me. And for the record, please don't make general assumptions and say "you gotta do something". A lot of people may not be trying to help them selves....but most of us are. We come here to talk and vent and be understood, while meanwhile, when you can't see us, we are living our lives....fighting for our lives, the best we can. We take meds, see psychiatrists, therapists, we try and exercise......I've been hospitalized, been in partial hospitalization, IPRT, have had ECT...*I* for one have tried. So *please*, please, I beg you, don't assume we are not out there trying.
oh, and BTW, I do NOT mean this as an "attack". I can see where you are feeling attacked lately. That must feel awful. I just want to let you know how thing are from *MY* point of view.
Mario-Many people have poor coping skills.One of the treatments for depression is a didactic approach where one is encouraged to learn new better ways to deal with uncomfortable feelings. I think the reason you were getting dog-piled goes back to the original remise of this very long thread-Nurses and depression. If someone has for year upon year had their feelings INVALIDATED, it's extraoridinarily demoralising-"Well honey,that's the way it is" "if you don't like it here, move on" etc, no matter how proactively the problem(s) presented to one's superior.It will grind you down!!! I think you pressed a few buttons with your boot strap theories.
I have had depression in the past, took anti depressants for short time with good effect. They helped me to build bridges to get back on my feet. Felt that depression was partly due to nursing and the conformity tactics used to force us into submission, along with the nature of our work.
Also considered that it was partly caused by grief (past, present and unrecognised grief).
Heredity
Long term stress effecting hormones and chemicals within myself.
Cant wait till more research is done to further identify causes of depression and promote a better understanding of it.
If only it were as easy as "just snapping yourself out of it", then wouldn't we all have done just that.
Nal, I think the the chronic, unchecked surge of circulating catacholamines causes a cycle of stress physically and mentally...I believe this chronic stress state is behind many, many illnesses ....including depression.
The conquering of our high stress lifestyles will be a major healing factor for us...and can stop illness tendencies BEFORE they occur. My doc feels this is an up and coming medical trend....predispositions and preventative measures.
Today my doctor talked with me about the cycle of stress, toxicities, liver malfunctions, chemical imbalance, hormonal imbalance, immune compromise, ....my head was spinning!
And chronic stress is the catalyst that can lead to all this...and eventually perhaps to cancer, MS, autoimmune disorders, on and on. My doc says the studies are supporting this now (although I think nurses suspected this all along.)
It's interesting to research all this stuff...great discussion!!
Very recently had a long term male friend (32) overdose, and did not survive. Registered Nurse come medical rep, history of depression for several years. Still a lot of unanswered questions.
Is depression more common in women, or are men in denial personally and as a whole? Afterall suicide rates are higher in males in this country.
Are there adequate services available for men who need help and do they feel comfortable seeking help?
I would like to see men set up more support services for themselves, as women have done this to help themseves whenever they have felt a big need.
This seems to be such an unessesary waste and ignorance is killing people like cancer.
I don't bother discussing depression with people unless they show some sort of understanding or a willingness to learn and be open minded about it. Just the other day I got the comment "you create your own destiny", While thats true to some extent bad things can happen to good people and we all go through processes of ill health and healing.
If anyone knows some good sites with scientific data or research ( as this seems to help people to hear better) that would be helpful.
nal, read post #240 on this same thread. Some of the most recent research, articles, and statistics are available at http://www.medscape.com. AND you can get free CEUs!
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micro, RN
1,173 Posts
free CEU's for reading and learning more.....
now that rocks.......
thx Youda
cargal,
Hey, you have quite a great daughter there. Doing much for a nineteen year old. You are right on. Check out all the other things that could be leading to the Sx, but it also sounds like at least some situational depression.......something to look out for.
Hey, all.
Gotta run, keep threading on.
Love and peace all,
micro