Depression in Nursing

[lam]

Are their any nurses that suffer from depression and are still working and on meds.

[jodeee]

I have been a nurse for 20+ years and have been on antidepressant for several years and still work. It took many tries with meds to find the one that wouldn't make me sleepy or walk around like a zombie but i did find one and i can still work. Nursing is a hard job and the stress can really get to you. if you need to take meds then do. you can still work and function. never give up

[surferRN]

I discovered shortly after I became a nurse that I had depression and anxiety. The doctors tried many antidepressants. Prozac made me even worse. Narcotics didn't really help me either. Just recently, my doctor placed me on lexapro and buspar. I noticed a difference almost right away. I don't feel sleepy or have any side effects that I know of. Not even dry mouth! Nursing is stressful and I find that these work best for me. Good luck and don't forget about therapy to go along with the meds

[lam]

I was on antidepressants and had a very mixed experiences with other nurses when they found out. Some actually called them mind altering drugs and was totally against their use for nurses.

[kelkat]

Hello fellow nurses,
I've been on antidepressants for a few years and had felt ok. Last year I left a job I'd been at for 5 years mainly due to my perceived discrimination over my military (guard) duty. Didn't realize initially why their behaviour was escalating. Can't prove anything- they are very subtle. I understand I needed to leave there but haven't fully dealt with the hurt and my feelings of betrayal. I loved working there. Since then my mother passed away and my job situation has been in flux. I feel ungrounded and increasingly unhappy. Tried to make a night shift work- couldn't handle nights with my guard duty so I went to prn. Have applied with several agencies and hospitals near me (I'm an ER nurse with 21 years total experience). The agencies by the way have just been wasting my time and while I waited on them, all the prn shifts were taken. I know I need to seek counseling. Feel like I need to spill all of this on someone to get direction. Maybe I'm going down the wrong road. I have great experience and my resume is full. Any suggestions from anyone? I appreciate your comments.
Thanks,
Kelkat in Colorado

[kimmiejs]

At my former job in back in Georgia many of the nurses I worked with were on some form of antidepressant. No one thought any less of them. In my books it takes a stronger person to reach out and ask for help than one who refuses help or denies their is a problem (when obviously there might be one). I am not sure why any one would look down on people that suffer depression. Depression is an illness just as hypothyroidism, hypertension, diabetes, etc... are.

I can't help but wonder if the people that belittle others for medical issues like depression do not have some sort of underlying psychiatriatric condition themselves.

[lilsunny]

I have just been told I have depression, sleep disorder and anger issues. Been accused of talking to my fellow nurses in a not so nice a way during report. I was not aware of this until called to the manager's office. I was so upset and beside myself I went to our AEP councilor and next thing I knew I have found myself now in a day clinic dealing with all of this. Yes nursing is stressfull, and it does not help with the conditions that we are forced to work in. Do I know when all of this started no. I do not. Been a RN since 2003 with no patern of anything in my file, no drugs, no alcohal and I dont smoke, so go figure. So I am now getting help with all of this mess that I have. Will I return to nursing I dont know. I just dont see how one gets good marks from patients and yet turns around and get the opposite from fellow nurses.... shakes my head

Nurse on the road to recover

[TheSnedster]

I have found that although I have a tendency toward depression anyway, being a nurse makes it worse because I work hard all day to care for others, and when I get home in your personal life I am completely worn down and I feel like a failure because I just have nothing left to give. I am taking medications for my psychiatric condition, and there is nothing wrong with that, as long as I continue to love my job and I am not using it as a way to forget that I am miserable (which I am not).