What's the deal with anxiety meds for students?

shortnorthstudent · Nov 20, 2010

I have a friend in my program (first term nursing school) who is a very good student. She has never had a problem with test anxiety or stress in the past. However, less than a month in to our program, she started having problems with her blood pressure. No family history, no personal history of blood pressure problems. She spent about 3 weeks monitoring her blood pressure and a couple of weeks ago her PCP put her on a betablocker. They discussed options - meds for anxiety or meds for hypertension. They decided on blood pressure meds rather than anxiety meds, but they were an option they discussed.

Granted, the result of this situation is not anxiety meds. But, nursing school is very stressful and affects some people quite a bit physically.

decembergrad2011, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2010

I am not on anti-anxiety medication, and have no plans to start it, but I have NEVER been so stressed out in my life as I am being in nursing school. The only thing that can compare is when I was 11 and my parents got divorced - it's that bad! I have generalized anxiety (or possibly "Pure O," which is OCD without rituals and often misdiagnosed as GAD) and it skyrocketed when I began nursing school. I found myself incessantly worrying about grades, having test anxiety, and having emotional moments a lot.

It eventually led to my decision to seek help with the counseling and testing center on my campus. I had a couple of individual sessions with a counselor, and we made the decision for myself to do group therapy. It is fantastic to just have a safe outlet. I do not have any plans for starting medication and I believe that the therapy is enough for me.

I would encourage anyone who is dealing with anxiety - PLEASE GET HELP. You can't properly take care of patients if you can't take care of yourself. There is no shame in having medical issues as a healthcare professional. We are not suddenly immune from health problems, including mental health problems, because we understand the pathophysiology behind it. I look forward to a day when we embrace our nursing students with anxiety and teach them ways to combat it - and without medication as the first option, which is, in my humble opinion, the easy way out.

kayty2339 · Nov 21, 2010

I know people that have gone that route. But I know I won't go there. It's stessfull yes, but to me it isn't worth becoming dependent on a drug. I think we as a society have become too accustomed to a quick fix and that's why so many of us are now dependent on some kind of drug to keep us going. There are plenty of other ways to reduce anxiety(exercise, creative outlets, just allowing yourself time to relax and have fun). I know this is libel to offend others out there who may be taking an anxiolytic, but I'm not meaning for it to. I realize everyone is different and some may truly need these meds. I am just very cautious about them because I have seen people I love become addicted to prescription pills and I have seen how it can tear people and families apart. I have a friend in nursing school who started taking them and I have seen her personality change and now she is not doing well on tests when she was always an A student in all other nursing classes. Anyways this is just my opinion.

Yuppers21 · Nov 21, 2010

I too worry about the number of students who seem to be on meds. It seems this day that there are many people out there that simply want a pill to fix their problems, rather than try other options first. For those that truly need, I am thankful these meds are available, but it seems that some may be too quick to turn to them and not explore equally effective alternatives.

kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 21, 2010

It's not the norm. School is only as bad as you let it be. It really wasn't that bad, the end =)

tiredstudentmom · Nov 21, 2010

As with many things, this too may be exaggerated. I agree that many folks (doctors and patients alike) are far too reliant upon pill popping to cure what ails them. Yuppers21 mentioned that they were glad though that these meds were available to those that really do require them. I myself have conditions that require meds: depression, anxiety, and GAD. Is this gonna stop me from being a nurse and getting through nursing school? Heck no! For those that cannot control their conditions/symptoms, meds provide the necessary treatment. With a combination of behavior mods and meds, I can function really well. It also helps to have a good support system in place, which I do. At my NS orientation they recommend that we get our life in order before nursing school starts. I have been doing that very thing, preparing myself mentally/emotionally for the year ahead of me. I know I can do it, but it's because I have readied myself. As long as we have a prescription for what we take, we are okay as long as we are not impaired while we are in class or clinicals.

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · Nov 21, 2010

I don't even take tylenol, lol. I think it's sad and pathetic that people pop a pill like they're candy. I HOPE this isn't the norm!

mspontiac · Nov 21, 2010

I don't even take tylenol, lol. I think it's sad and pathetic that people pop a pill like they're candy. I HOPE this isn't the norm!

I hope you haven't had Mental Health nursing with that attitude. If you have, I feel for the patients you cared for who needed to "pop pills like candy." Would you say that to someone who needed meds for high blood pressure or any other medical disorder? :smackingf

I've never needed any kind of medication, but I certainly do not fault those who do.

*4!#6 · Nov 21, 2010

I have a friend in my program (first term nursing school) who is a very good student. She has never had a problem with test anxiety or stress in the past. However, less than a month in to our program, she started having problems with her blood pressure. No family history, no personal history of blood pressure problems. She spent about 3 weeks monitoring her blood pressure and a couple of weeks ago her PCP put her on a betablocker. They discussed options - meds for anxiety or meds for hypertension. They decided on blood pressure meds rather than anxiety meds, but they were an option they discussed.
Granted, the result of this situation is not anxiety meds. But, nursing school is very stressful and affects some people quite a bit physically.

This is interesting as I was having heart palpitations that really started during my first semester and went in and found out I have a small, benevolent arrythmia. I think the amount of stress itself on your body is incredible

CuriousMe · Nov 21, 2010

I think the truth is that for many people, nursing school is the most intensive stress they've had to manage. Through the course of a nursing program, any mild mental health (or health for that matter) weaknesses, which have previously been just managed by an individual, can become unmanageable due to that stress.

I also think it's very easy for fellow nursing students to judge those who choose to treat disorders such as anxiety with medication. There can be a "holier than thou" aspect of...well since I didn't need medication when I was stressed out, it's not really needed....they're just being weak and taking the easy way out.

But we all have our own experiences, and our own genetic predispositions. If a mental health condition is impairing a student's ability to perform, they need to get professional help. That professional help may include medication. No one but the student and their health care professional have the right to judge this treatment plan. For anyone else to do so just show's a level of ignorance and prejudice on their part. As with most things, it says far more about the person judging, than the person being judged.

To the OP: no, I don't think it's the norm. But I do think that many folks get diagnosed with mental health conditions during nursing school for the reasons I stated in the beginning of the post.

And no, I don't take medication for anxiety....so, I've not taken this personally. I just really dislike when folks who, from their education should know better, choose to pick on someone who is already having a tough time.

tiredstudentmom · Nov 21, 2010

I think the truth is that for many people, nursing school is the most intensive stress they've had to manage. Through the course of a nursing program, any mild mental health (or health for that matter) weaknesses, which have previously been just managed by an individual, can become unmanageable due to that stress.
I also think it's very easy for fellow nursing students to judge those who choose to treat disorders such as anxiety with medication. There can be a "holier than thou" aspect of...well since I didn't need medication when I was stressed out, it's not really needed....they're just being weak and taking the easy way out.
But we all have our own experiences, and our own genetic predispositions. If a mental health condition is impairing a student's ability to perform, they need to get professional help. That professional help may include medication. No one but the student and their health care professional have the right to judge this treatment plan. For anyone else to do so just show's a level of ignorance and prejudice on the part on their part. As with most things, it says far more about the person judging, than the person being judged.
To the OP: no, I don't think it's the norm. But I do think that many folks get diagnosed with mental health conditions during nursing school for the reasons I stated in the beginning of the post.
And no, I don't take medication for anxiety....so, I've not taken this personally. I just really dislike when folks who, from their education should know better, choose to pick on someone who is already having a tough time.

I think you hit the nail on the head quite succinctly! We are not here to judge others, but rather to help one another. :up: