On verge of nervous breakdown

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hello all. I just need to vent for a minute. I seriously feel like I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I am constantly exhausted (even after deep restorative sleep), I have very tender spots of muscle aches/spasms in my shoulders and neck, nausea, "Brain Fog", and alternating periods of either sleeping alot or total insomnia.

I feel like I am going insane. All the stress at work that I have "Put aside" for later is finally catching up with me. The whole customer service crap is undermining my ability to CARE for my patients. Rather, I and other nurses have become SLAVES to management, patients, visitors and accrediting angencies.

I am a 28 year old guy, but i feel like I am 60. :cry:

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.
Hello all. I just need to vent for a minute. I seriously feel like I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I am constantly exhausted (even after deep restorative sleep), I have very tender spots of muscle aches/spasms in my shoulders and neck, nausea, "Brain Fog", and alternating periods of either sleeping alot or total insomnia.

I feel like I am going insane. All the stress at work that I have "Put aside" for later is finally catching up with me. The whole customer service crap is undermining my ability to CARE for my patients. Rather, I and other nurses have become SLAVES to management, patients, visitors and accrediting angencies.

I am a 28 year old guy, but i feel like I am 60. :cry:

I don't have any answers for you, but I do understand the tremendous amount of stress you are under, as I experience it as well. It takes me about two days to unwind after working, then it's time to go back to work. What I'm working on is finding healthy ways to care for myself. I force myself to go to the gym at least twice a week, and have started training for a 10K. I make myself drink plenty of water and eat well balanced diet. And, I participate in activities outside of work that have absolutely nothing to do with health care or any form of responsibility whatsoever. I like to go hiking with the dogs out in the woods, and have recently discovered BINGO. It's so mindless, sitting there in the big yellow naugahyde chairs, daubing numbers, and occasionally coming close to winning some money. I get to actually forget about everything for a while. Nobody asks me for a thing, and I can just sit there for a few hours without having to do anything for anyone or think about anything.

In the meantime, I am continuing my education in hopes to move on in a few years to something different (still in nursing, just a different type). I do not want to be a floor nurse for the rest of my life. But for now, it is where I am, and just accepting it while at the same time preparing for a change, while also practicing good self care, seems to help me get through the day.

Oh man I feel so sorry for you and all the other posters, I am going through the same thing. I work nights on a busy floor, bills, home stress, and just the stress of being in nursing has caused me to have to change my life. I cant sleep, always nervous, mean at work and just have this doom and gloom feeling all the time. So I went to my doctor and she put me on Cymbalta. I was also having shoulder pain and neck pain. So she thinks it will help in both ways b/c Cymbalta helps with chronic pain and anxiety. I also plan to go to a weekender position and if I need to supplement I will get a home health job. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box. Dont kill yourself working on the floors. Also do you have an Employee Assistance Program. They are councelors you can talk to about your problems, just like a psychiatrist. Just some thoughts. Good Luck!!!

Specializes in cardiac rehab, medical/tele, psychiatric.

Isn't it ironic, don't you think... that we are in a "healing" profession that takes it's toll on our bodies and psyche? There should be some sort of nursing support group with weekly meetings for our profession. I take care of myself, eat healthy, go to the gym..but I still feel like I am going to have a nervous breakdown..i am mentally and physically exhausted and suffer from muscle tension. I have started using meditation...and looking for a non-hospital job.

Specializes in Med-Surg, HH, Tele, Geriatrics, Psych.
isn't it ironic, don't you think... that we are in a "healing" profession that takes it's toll on our bodies and psyche? there should be some sort of nursing support group with weekly meetings for our profession. i take care of myself, eat healthy, go to the gym..but i still feel like i am going to have a nervous breakdown..i am mentally and physically exhausted and suffer from muscle tension. i have started using meditation...and looking for a non-hospital job.

very ironic indeed! :rolleyes:

Specializes in cardiac, psychiatric emergency, rehab.

Must be the moon. Same symptoms.. gave it all up for my health.

Either I find a spot in community health or I'm not being a nurse.

I am DONE... , NEVER WANTED TO DO,, AND WILL NOT AGAIN DO HOSPITAL NURSING.. AGAIN:) I noticed the only people that seemed to be able to keep it together were part timers or three shifts a week. Beyond that.. I saw very few five night a weekers.. hmm,, that should have been my first clue! :)

It is not worth your health or your soul!

+ Add a Comment