Living With Dysthymia

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Specializes in Med/Surg/ICU/Stepdown.

I made it through two years of nursing school and a year of my BSN degree, until it hit again ... overwhelming sadness. I've been diagnosed as having dysthymic disorder for years, and some days, it's more major depression than dysthymia. I struggle to find a medication regimen that works for me, and some days, I'm resistant to medication at all. Talk therapy has driven me batty and in circles ... and on top of that, nursing in itself causes my brain to cycle in the negativity.

So, nurses with depression ... how do you deal? 'Cause I'm slowly going crazy. And I think I may be one step away from crawling in bed with the psych patients. :nailbiting:

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Hi there. I'm sorry you're feeling lousy. Nursing school is tough enough without being depressed on top of it. You most definitely have my sympathies!

I'm wondering though, if you've tried cognitive behavioral therapy. It's different from talk therapy, as it teaches you how to replace maladaptive thought processes with healthier ones. There is also interpersonal social rhythm therapy that helps you establish regular patterns of sleep, eating, work/school etc. as well as achieving balance in your relationships. If you aren't seeing a therapist or psychiatrist, you may want to see if you can get a referral from your primary care provider; these professionals can be most helpful if you find the right ones.

Recovering from depression often takes more than just medication, although there are adjunctive treatments like Abilify and Latuda, which are coming into use now because they evidently "boost" the effects of antidepressants. As always, see your doctor for advice on any medical condition you may have.

(((((HUGS)))))

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Specializes in Med/Surg/ICU/Stepdown.

​I've been in therapy on/off for about 10 years total. Some of it included CBT, and some of it just talk-therapy directed. Presently, I'm on Nortriptyline (Pamelor) and Sertraline (Zoloft) as adjunctive therapies.

I know a lot of it is self-care, but with time constraints, I find that falls by the wayside. I'm not sure how to incorporate it into my busy days/weeks.

Thank you for the kind words! It helps to know I'm not alone. :)

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