Today when I walked into the reference room/quiet study/mini library, a girl was having a breakdown. Two classmates were trying to support her, but it was emotionally very hard to watch. I understand. The pressure is tremendous and people are very, very far from home or friends, and it's hard. I wouldn't say it's the hardest thing I've ever done, but it is very quickly approaching that extreme. Several classmates have gone to the doctor/NP and been prescribed medications to help them deal with things like depression and anxiety, and people are having panic attacks. It makes me wonder about the culture of nursing school. I know all nursing schools aren't this way, and I think these "incidents" have a lot to do with the program being accelerated more than anything else. But I wonder if they shouldn't do some kinds of stress assessments as part of the interview process? What is the consequence of this stress for people who come from cultures with strong stigmas attached to taking medications for mental health issues or even going to have their mental health assessed? Historically black women have had a hard time recognizing depression, as I'm sure other cultures have. If we aren't going to speak to mental health professionals (why aren't we) what are we doing to cope?
It's crunch time (I have a BIOMED TEST this week) and I find myself going a little nuts...I'll keep you updated...
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