Nursing and Anxiety

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I've suffered with anxiety and depression for a very long time now, since my early 20's at least, and I'm now 33. I'm only in Nursing school, and we haven't had our first clinical round yet, but there's been something that's making me feel like I'm stuck in a box and I really couldn't think of a better place to ask than AN. So here goes; I need treatment for this, I've tried dealing with it on my own, and I think the added stress of school is making things worse for me. I'm not breaking down, but I'm starting to feel like I've got things "less handled" than before. If I seek treatment, and that treatment includes prescription medicine, will that haunt me down the road when I'm looking for a job? Do employers ask about your mental health? Does school typically ask before you start clinical?

I've tried doing my own "Googling" and a lot of the information I am finding is old. A lot of it also seems very biased towards just keeping it a secret and lying if you're ever asked. Is that the way to deal with something like this? Obviously I am not going to wear a scarlet letter "rx" on my forehead, however, I need this feeling of being boxed in to disappear. I know that the nursing profession is anxiety ridden. I know that it gets crazy sometimes and with staff to patient ratios being what they are in most places, the 12 hour shifts aren't always enough to get things done. I know nursing can be a crazy anxious career choice. But it is my choice. It's what I've dreamed of doing for so long. I don't mind the work. I don't mind the study, the lack of a social life, the lack of sleep, the lack of even finding time to pee without thinking of body parts and medicine and grams and liters and on and on. I really enjoy being busy, and I enjoy learning everything I can. I honestly don't know where the anxiety is coming from, seeing as how I don't think it's the homework and studying. Typically (and I know a lot of people are this way) it's from me not seeing how things are going to work out in my head. And I know that people really can't ever tell how things are going to turn up, but I'm not a "normal" person, I can't just shrug it off, I obsess over it, panic and freak and can't shut my mind off.

So how do I proceed? I know I need to get help, even if drugs aren't involved (which I'd rather to be honest) but I don't want this haunting me down the road. I don't want to be passed over for a job because I sought treatment for anxiety. What do you all think? Should I? Shouldn't I? What should I be preparing myself for in regards to my future nursing career? What would you do if you were me?

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

Hello there~

I'm so sorry you're going through this. Although our Terms of Service prohibits members from offering medical advice, we can urge you to get off the Internet and see a mental health professional as soon as possible. No one deserves to have their days filled with anxiety and dread. Your pain is palpable and you deserve to be treated. Don't delay in the hope that things will get better on their own; they seldom do. Anxiety and depression are medical illnesses and they need to be treated by someone who knows how.

Believe me, you will need to be both physically and mentally healthy before you try to take care of patients. People who are suffering from anxiety and depression are almost always inwardly focused, making it very difficult to tend to others' needs; it's not a character flaw, it's just the way the disease works. I know because I live with bipolar disorder and anxiety, and I've had to retire from nursing prematurely because even with good medications and therapy, I cannot in good conscience hold people's lives in my shaky hands.

I am not saying that you should not become a nurse; what was right for me isn't right for everyone. If you get your issues under control, you may very well become a very successful and effective nurse, in no small part because you will have empathy for those who suffer. Please get help NOW. God bless.

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Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your kind words. I was really looking more for information about how it would affect my future in nursing employment wise. I know that I definitely need to go talk to someone, and I plan to, I just wanted to know how and/or if it could possibly come up with an employer and if it did, am I legally obligated to tell them? The mental health professionals that I have seen in my city haven't really done me much good. I've seen 2, 1 psychiatrist and 1 psychologist. The psychiatrist just kept upping my Zoloft and tried to give me blood pressure meds for the physical symptoms of anxiety (which I thought were dangerous to take after a warning from my Pharmacist so I never bothered with them). She had me on almost 200mg of Zoloft/day and it just felt like too much and it wasn't helping after a while. The psychologist wanted me to read a book and come back to her weekly at 40.00 per visit and I just couldn't afford it at the time.

I have an outlet, in terms of a group like therapy, but it's a non-professional situation and sometimes things just get to be too much and I wonder about trying the professional route again. But I'm really concerned how it could affect my employment opportunities in the future. I didn't think it was legal for an employer to ask you things like "Are you currently being treated for mental health issues?" or the like, but I'm pretty ignorant on those laws. Just wondering if anyone had any personal experiences dealing with management/potential employment and currently being treated for anxiety.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

((HUGS)) I am sorry you are having such a hard time. We cannot possibly know how this will affect your nursing career however trust me there are many many nurses that require medication for many medical conditions and they function at the bedside everyday.

There are certain questions that they can ask as you serve the public...it is legal to ensure the safety of the patients in certain states. That blood pressure drug is WELL KNOWN treatment for anxiety and has well documented success in the treatment of anxiety. Many drugs have multiple effective uses.

I am sorry....We cannot offer medical advice as per the Terms of Service. I think following the advice of your physicians/mental health providers would be the best for you.

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Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.

Every year during my physical for my hospital nursing job, I am asked if I am receiving treatment for mental illness and what that entails: therapy, meds, etc. I'm only in therapy now but when I was on meds, they asked for my psychiatrist's name and number so they could contact him and ask whether my conditions and meds would interfere with performing my job effectively.

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Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.

I also remember when I was first licensed in Texas, the board of nursing required disclosure of certain diagnoses: bipolar, schizophrenia, etc. It didn't mean you wouldn't be licensed but they want to make sure you are stable with treatment.

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Thank you, this is what I was looking for.

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