Nursing & Depression

Nurses Stress 101

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  1. Nurses and Depression/Anxiety

    • 401
      I think the incidence of depression/anxiety is higher in nursing than other professions.
    • 264
      I feel depression/anxiety has interfered with my job performance.
    • 260
      I feel nursing has played a part in my depression
    • 23
      I feel administration is as supportive to nurses w/ depression/anxiety as w/ other diseases

460 members have participated

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.

Anyone out there in the same boat?

Sphinx, I had two great ovaries left. Then five years later I had a doctor tell me that after about five years the ovaries quit funcioning, so I got put on hormones. Has your hormone level been checked lately? I had one doctor check it and even though it was VERY low he refused to put me on hormones. But the woman doctor said the level was WAY too low, so she put me on them.

A psychiatrist friend of mine says that there is a BIG connection between hormones and depression -- they just don't know exactly why or how.

Secondly, and I just remembered, there is evidence that depression is a 'warning' sign of a heart problem, particularly when depression starts in the 40s (which I guess doesn't apply to you, Sphinx). Anyone had their hearts checked lately?

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When your hormones are fluxing, can you feel it is hormones? To understand estrogen is important for me. For example, when there is too much or too little estrogen for you, can you tell it's the estrogen level? Or is it an uncontrolable/confusion feeling? Makes you grumpy? Guys are kinda lucky because they don't have troubles with testosterone.

Does hormones problems feel like low blood sugar, perhaps?

Thank you, in advance, for take me honestly.

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I for one can't *feel* my hormonal changes. I used to be able to feel when I ovulated, but even though I still have one ovary, I don't feel it anymore. I think I only felt it on the "bad" side anyway. I also used to have raging PMS, so a week before onset of menses, I would become more depressed, irritable, angry, tearful. I wouldn't always know right away what it was, but then it'd hit me. It was also pointed out to me that the 3 times I was hospitalized were all in the premenstrual period. The other way I "used to" be able to tell was the excruciating pain I had. Then that pain started to last all month long, so that clue became useless. For ages I was on one type of "the pill" or another (continously, so no break every month), so hormonal changes were moot. (would go off every 3-4 months for 1 week, but knew I was going off them, so could easily "know" I was having a hormone shift).

Anyhoo, after my hysterectomy, even with one ovary, things have changed. Everything is more subtle. I still have hormal stuff going on, but I can't really pinpoint it down to a cycle or anything. I can tell a hormonal shift is going on because my face breaks out. That's about it.

Now that I say that, I wonder if I am cycling at all. It hasn't even been a year since my hyst, but I have heard your ovary function can quit anytime afterwards, or never fully return after the initial "shock" phase. You're right, Bella, maybe I should get my hormones checked. It could explain a lot of things.

I see I'm rambling again. In anycase, on the hystersisters "sister site" called the hormone jungle, they have a nice list of possible symproms you may (or may not) have if your estrogen OR progesterone level is low. Unfortunately, lots of the items on the list can be attributed to other thing as well. (sound familiar?)

Bla......my thought have been racing all weekend, yet I've been sitting like a lump. A srange combination. I feel like I am going a thousand miles an hour when in fact I am but sitting still.

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I HATE to tell you this, but guys do have "troubles" with testosterone. ;) Not like women, I'll grant, but they do have some troubles.

The NICEST thing for us gals is that, generally, guys tend to become much less aggressive as they get older and their testosterone levels begin to decline.

Bella

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Bella, I was thinking the same thing....have you seen the new ad out for some med (can't remember it might just be an herbal), lists signs of low testosterone, and supposedly this new pill can help.

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Talking about hormones, I copied that list I mentioned. You can see why hormones can be a confusing issue: and except for having an "abundance of estrogen", depression is listed as a possible sign of the others.

(thinking again how she really ought to get those hormones checked, thanks bella for bringing it up)

ABUNDANCE OF ESTROGEN

*Water Retention

*Fatigue

*Breast Swelling

*Fibrocystic Breasts

*PMS-like symptoms

*Loss of sex drive

*Uterine Fibroids

*Craving for Sweets

*Weight Gain

LACK OF ESTROGEN

*Hot flashes

*shortness of breath

*night sweats

*sleep disorders

*lady partsl shrinkage

*painful intercourse

*lady partsl dryness

*dry skin

*anxiety

*mood swings

*headache

*depression

*Memory Loss

*Heart palpitaions

*yeast infections

*inability to reach orgasm

ABUNDANCE OF PROGESTERONE

*Depression

*Somnolence

LACK OF PROGESTERONE

*Headache

*Hot flashes

*Low Libido

*Anxiety Night Sweats

*Swollen Breasts Painful breast

*Sleep Disorder

*Shortness of breath

*Moodiness

*lady partsl shrinkage

*Fuzzy thinking

*Painful intercourse

*Depression

*lady partsl Dryness

*Food Cravings

*Dry skin

*Anxiety

*irritability

*Insomnia

*Mood swing

*Memory Loss

*Weight gain

*Heart Palpitations

*Bloating

*Yeast Infections

*Inability to concentrate

*Inability to reach orgasm

*Painful joints

*Asthma

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It's amazing what guys will do when their testerone starts to lag. I find it amazing how many guys feel their hormone is somehow superior to hormones of the female sex.

I think it's rude to interrupt a discussion with questions that can be easily found in a book.

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I appreciate the help sphinx. For me, 37 yo male, I feel some hormone loss, or maybe an awareness of them on a personal level. Sometimes it hard for a guy to read about a persons feelings in a book, especially if it has to do with (whispers) women's feelings. It's also interesting to discuss how hormones can relate to other chemical inbalances we all experience, like depression or digestion. Thank you

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After I had a vag hyst, the gyne doc put me on Premarin 1.25 mg. No more hot flashes, but I still had moods all over the place. My shrink consulted to the gyne and suggested Estratest (esterified estrogens 1.25 mg and methyltestosterone 2.5 mg). I've been taking it for ten years, and it's been a life saver.:)

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I know lots of guys on female hormones - when I worked in HIV practice had to Rx them for one or two - otherwise wouldn't have come for HIV treatment. BTW, these guys looked better than most of the women patients I saw.

When you want to know that much about something, might as well experience it.

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Guys with lagging testosterone levels trade in the older wife for a newer model, buy a new sports car, get hair transplants and take Viagra. ;)

Humans are at the mercy of hormones sad to say...LOL!!

Hmmm...maybe I'll get mine checked too after looking at that list of sx gals...I've been blaming it all on low thyroid...;)

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Not a bad idea, might try it myself.

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