My first nursing class was three days ago.... And everyday for the past three days I have been crying at night.. Its not for long periods of time, but its deep desperate sobs.. And i cant help myself! Of course the first day was overwhelming, but even the next day after I felt better and studied productively all day long.. I ended up crying that night. I dont know whats wrong with me. I KNEW nursing would be a lot of work..a lot of time..a lot of studying..just a lot of everything. But i did not expect to burst into tears like this. I feel like how on earth am i possibly going to learn all of this?!...And this is only semester ONE. I usually end up crying after I study for a while....and even while im studying, i can feel my anxiety build up..mostly because I'll be like "OH damn, why cant i remember that!?"..or "WOW we have to remember ALL of this? How will i remember this forever???" or..if im in class i'll feel a knot in the pit of my stomach when my professor is telling us how we'll have to do all of these skills tests and if we dont pass them we basically fail the class. I get nervous just thinking about these things, let alone doing them.
Please please tell me that this will get easier to handle (Because i know the work only gets harder...). So far, i feel like my entire world is upside down.. And even as im sitting here typing this i am getting tears in my eyes.
I have ALWAYS been an anxious person and have told myself that I will get anxiety medication if nursing school is too stressful....(Ive been on it in the past for other reasons)... I KNOW that i want to be a nurse. But i also know that right now i feel like crawling under a rock. The tears & everything else is just making me doubt my ability to succeed.
Is this normal?... Are other people in my class going home & crying and i just dont know about it?....:stone
You are perfectly nornal, I am going into my 3rd semester of clinicals, one more to go and after a chilled out summer, I back to school one day and am overwhelmed, clenching my teeth and trying to get a grip on what to do next. Just keep you eye on the prize and keep going, one step at a time. Seriously, if you need it get a little med help from your primary maybe a little tranquilizer till you feel more in control.
or how about some yoga, This is the nature of the beast, nursing school is hard
Funny to come across this post...I've had a similar beginning to school this week. My anxiety/depression were not as intense as you describe yours to be but I felt pretty rough until yesterday. I, too, am anxiety prone and that awareness on your part is your greatest ally. It's all in the management:
1)Find a way to get out and exercise! I took a vigorous walk and did 10 minutes of yoga and felt so much better. Exercise is essential to anxiety prone people.
2) Every semester for me starts with a feeling of stress,anxiety,depression and I forget that until I'm in it. It took me till Wednesday to "remember" that this is part of my pattern and that usually within a week or two I have my sea legs and am just fine. Know your pattern!
3) I heartily agree with the posts that say "One day at a time." Get done what you need to get done for today and don't page ahead to what you have to have done by four weeks from now.
4) Watch your inner dialogue and switch those "This is more than I can handle" thoughts to "I will be able to handle this."
5) I know it can stink to be prone to anxiety but anxiety has its gifts: Anxiety prone people also tend to be more sensitive and creative than most....These are great qualities for anyone going into Nursing!
You are venting your stress and fear of a new situation, which has to be better than keeping it all inside. Nursing school is scary and you are under a lot of pressure.
You did say you have anxiety and it is an excellent idea to go to the doctor. See you already are thinking in terms of assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and evaluation.
Just don't beat yourself up for reacting that way, because there are many out there in the same situation. You will get through it and once you get past the newness of nursing school you will begin to feel less anxious.
UM Review RN, ASN, RN
1 Article; 5,163 Posts
I used to have a wonderful nursing instructor who could sense when we were getting freaked out and at those times, she would say:
"You can eat an elephant if you just take it one bite at a time."