Tips for a neurodivergent and mentally ill student?

[JerseyDevilsAdvocate, BSN, RN]

I was not sure where exactly to post this topic, however I feel this would be the best category. If any admins wish to move it to somewhere they deem more appropriate, then feel free to do so.

So I am in my junior year of nursing school. I'm nearly done with the semester, I just have one exam and a paper due in two general education courses.

School, is a much bigger struggle and fight for me than everyone else. I suffer anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and PTSD - all professionally diagnosed. It is not a fun combination, and getting through each semester is an emotional roller coaster. I have some physical disabilities as well, but those do not affect my learning atmosphere.

I've tried every studying tip under the sun, most of which are geared for neurotypical people, and they never help me improve. I've tried varying amounts of studying, from 30 mins at a time to 2 hrs at a time, all with short breaks. I've listened to lectures in my car. I've read from a physical textbook, I've taken notes (I cannot read my own handwriting, so notes are best typed, but technology is distracting).

I can only really use ebooks, as reading from a physical textbook (for whatever reason) makes me ill, I feel nauseous, drowsy, and I get tension headaches. I can never read a physical book for more than an hour, and I only achieve maybe 10-20 pages in that time. I am also photosensitive, so I prefer using ebooks with an extension that makes all website and pages dark, and changes the screen tint to red after sunset.

I've also tried flashcards, but I'd rather understand than memorize. I've tried calendars and planners, group studying (which is very difficult thanks to ASD), tutoring, evolve's online resources, etc.

I'm at my wits end! I'm panicking, because my program requires a min 3.0 GPA, you can only fail one nursing class (you need a 77 quantitative testing grade, and I've been told by transfers that my school is much more difficult from their previous nursing school)

This semester I believe I managed to pull a 3.0 in all of my nursing courses, and I'm not worried about my gen eds.

I'm nervous for future clinical rotations, because I was confused and lost this semester. I get nervous during physical assessments, because I don't want to feel invasive, and a lot of patients refuse because the admitting nurse already performed assessment. We only have one patient, so I do not to know what to do in the free time, as I don't want to overwhelm the patient. I don't want to look at the charts too long. I am just easily confused.

I have four semesters left, and I'm scared I'm going to fail out in one of them. I'm sick of watching my GPA fluctuate between a 3.1 and a 3.2, I really want to bring it up! But getting anything higher than a B or B+ on exams seems impossible, no matter how much I study!

I would really appreciate helpful tips. I can't write in notebooks or read physical books. I'd rather learn than memorize. I need to be able to keep myself on track when I study, and be able to pay attention for the full class time. Anyone else who has had these issues, have any tips to share? I have two clinical rotations next semester, as well as needing to work to live, so I really want to try to stay afloat!

Thank you for reading.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Whoa, Nellie! Don't sell yourself so short. Anyone who can make a GPA of 3.0-3.2 is doing great, but someone who is battling the kind of issues you are and making those grades is doing FANTASTIC. You've made it this far...why ever would you think you might not make it further?

You have obviously figured out a way to study that works for you. It may not be other people's way, but who says you have to be conventional? Keep doing whatever you're doing and you'll be fine.

It does sound like you have some self-esteem issues. Are you seeing a therapist or other mental healthcare provider? Medications are only half the battle; someone who suffers from mental illness usually needs both medication and therapy, as well as a healthy lifestyle. I know it's hard to maintain a healthy diet and exercise as a student, but it will help if you can manage it. Keeping a regular sleep schedule is also helpful. Most of all, talk to your doctor about how you're feeling---he or she is the only one qualified to advise you on medical matters.

Like I said before, you are doing just fine. You need encouragement and I hope some other members will weigh in and give you more. Hang in there!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

i agree with PP - it would appear that you are managing very well, despite the challenges. But it would appear that one area - dealing with photosensitivity & need to alter digital displays - may be very problematic for you in a typical clinical setting where there is absolutely no option for altering the ambient light or digital displays of electronic medical records. Could you explore the option of using tinted lenses instead?

FYI, the academic requirements you've listed do not appear to be more difficult than normal. In fact, many schools have a higher "pass" score that must be met.

[jaycam, RN]

I was diagnosed with both C-PTSD and ADHD as well. The PTSD is pretty much non-existent at this point, but I still have some ADHD symptoms.

Couple of strategies that I found that helped with the ADHD though...

Making checklists. Be it for a skill, a daily schedule, homework I needed to do still... just having them helped, even if I didn't manage to do all of the things on my list, it helps keep it in my mind.

Self-checks. ADHD (and quite possibly the ASD as well) has all sorts of impulsive/self-esteem related effects For me, this especially would rear it's head anytime someone said something critical of me. My default is to think people being critical of me dislike me, and that's not really true. Clinical instructors especially will be critical and you need to have a way to take what they say and integrate it which can be frustrating. I would usually have to remind myself right after any conversation where someone gave me criticism that if I was that bad I would be pulled off the floor. That they talked to me shows that they think I can improve. Then when I went home, I would process what they said while I was calm, and work on implementing what I was told to work on.

I was never big on group studying either. If it stresses you out, it may not be worth the stress. While my professors did push that it was helpful, I was much better studying alone, or with only one other person. I really like the watch/do/teach method. Watch someone do it(or read it)/Do it yourself(Write it down)/Teach it to someone. By the time you do all three, it should be pretty well set and you should have a basic understanding.

[chiclet81]

I have ADHD and ASD and i had a long history of academic failure under my belt when I decided to go to college and then to pursue nursing. I had luck making things as tactile and visual as possible. I got a part time job as an open lab tutor so I got paid to hang out and study in the A&P lab, where it was often just me and the anatomical models. I'd trace with my fingers the organs and blood vessels involved with the pathological processes I was studying. I colored all over my notes...

my my tip for listening in the car. Don't waste your time listening to the lecture again. Instead, type notes to add to the PowerPoint in class, then condense and organize those notes and record yourself reading your own notes because you will explain it in words that make sense to you and you'll spend more time on the tough spots and you can skip the nonsense... then condense your notes again before the exam and record another version of what you still need to work on understanding...

for tests, you need to think like the nclex; it gets easier. Figure out what kind of question it is (i.e. Prioritization, application of knowledge or a skill, or analysis) and then it gets easier.

Keep it up. There are so many things you can do with nursing; just get through this program.