Struggling with depression

[DavidASmithRN2B]

Anybody else, besides me, who is in school currently and struggling with depression?

I have always worked dayshift and was home with my wife and kids in the evening/night. Now that I’m in school the only option for me to work is 16 hour shifts; Friday evening/night and Saturday evening/night because I’m in class Monday-Thursday.

Im struggling with depression, even though I am home Monday - Thursday I feel like all I do is school work and I miss my babies (One is 8 months, and the other is 5 years) especially on the days I work.

The thing that depresses me even more is knowing that I have 5.5 years of school left if I stick to my plan to obtain a doctorate degree.

How do you all balance everything and keep your sanity?

[iWish, ADN, RN]

Think small and take one day at a time. Literally, one day. This is how I manage. Make small family goals to accomplish weekly and incorporate them into your schedule. Ex: Tuesday nights I will take my family out to eat. It may be only for an hour a night, but they'll have your undivided attention for that hour. If you take one hour each night to put the books and phone down and to socialize one on one with them it'll make the guilty feeling of not being around as often less. (current nursing student with 3 young kiddos)

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Stop thinking about a doctorate and focusing on the timeline. Focus on the task at hand and write down both your goals and your reasons for them. Get exposure to sunshine and your children as much as possible. See a doctor if your symptoms don’t resolve. Hang in there.