Dealing with stress

[ScubaSteveMed]

After doing really well on my first block in med school I started having anxiety symptoms. I've never had stress issues before and was very freaked out by it. I even had an EKG done at my primary's office (which was normal). I'm starting to worry that I'm not cut out for all this stuff and that I should start looking into other jobs.

Any ideas on how to chill out? I usually do above average on the tests and that's ok for me. I've read lots of things about how this is normal for people in med school, but I don't want to worry about having this feeling for the rest of my life. How do you all handle this?

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[Morsetlis]

Scuba diving?

 

[celkon]

First year is like that, then end of first year is more like that drake song "headlines"

"starting not to give a **** and stop fearing the consequence"

 

[Evergrey]

Are you drinking a lot of caffeine? That usually does it for me.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

After doing really well on my first block in med school I started having anxiety symptoms. I've never had stress issues before and was very freaked out by it. I even had an EKG done at my primary's office (which was normal). I'm starting to worry that I'm not cut out for all this stuff and that I should start looking into other jobs.

Any ideas on how to chill out? I usually do above average on the tests and that's ok for me. I've read lots of things about how this is normal for people in med school, but I don't want to worry about having this feeling for the rest of my life. How do you all handle this?

You are doing above average, so keep studying however you have been. Stress relief: exercise, sex, and moderate drinking/socializing. I recommend at least 12 of these per week, in any combination.

 

[rmaj79]

I have been feeling the same thing and making a study schedule definitely helped. I can't speak to MS2 but right now a schedule helps you realize that there's only "so many hours in the day." Correlating that with the fact that med schools have such a low attrition rate helps

 

[officedepot]

you are not alone. Most people in my med school are so on edge when it comes to things like grades and evals it's ridiculous. Just learn some relaxation techniques, take some time each day for yourself, and try really hard to just not freak out and do your best. MS1 stuff isn't really important anyway so just get through it. Study for 2nd year classes hard so long as you remain sane.

again you'll be fine. Lots of people have these issues. I kinda had an anxiety issue for one rotation with an annoying attending but I learned after a week that it wasn't worth getting worked up over. It is what it is. Attending turned out to be pretty cool in the end as well. Things will work out for you, OP.

 

[DrYoda]

Exercise, days off, sex, hanging out with non-med students, BZs, meditation, and getting comfortable with med school (ie realizing you're not going to fail out).

 

[normtheniner]

I totally feel you. I often find myself wondering if anyone else in my class is as freaked out as I am.

Everyone seems so confident. We have our exams for this block next week on Anatomy/Biochem/Ethics/Histology.... we're doing head/neck in anatomy and carb/lipid metabolism in biochem...and its been pretty grueling. I've had the feeling I've heard most doctors I've talked to describe where you wonder if the admissions committee goofed when they accepted you. Hopefully this feeling will eventually go away....

 

[FIREitUP]

Exercise, days off, sex, hanging out with non-med students, BZs, meditation, and getting comfortable with med school (ie realizing you're not going to fail out).

Yes to all of this. Med students will drive you mad.

 

[paul411]

Recreational drugs.






Like alcohol.

 

[Ironheme]

I totally feel you. I often find myself wondering if anyone else in my class is as freaked out as I am.

Everyone seems so confident. We have our exams for this block next week on Anatomy/Biochem/Ethics/Histology.... we're doing head/neck in anatomy and carb/lipid metabolism in biochem...and its been pretty grueling. I've had the feeling I've heard most doctors I've talked to describe where you wonder if the admissions committee goofed when they accepted you. Hopefully this feeling will eventually go away....

This.

I can't help but wonder if others are struggling like I am (a lot of my classmates seem to know all the material and are out partying once or twice a week and hungover the next day), and I wondered if the adcom guy just took pity on me and let me in. I keep reminding myself that according to MS2's no one failed out last year, but then there's the worry that what if I'm the first.

Going to keep trudging through and doing my best. There is only so much time in a day and if I don't learn it all, I gave it my best shot.

 

[Jack is Back]

After doing really well on my first block in med school I started having anxiety symptoms. I've never had stress issues before and was very freaked out by it. I even had an EKG done at my primary's office (which was normal). I'm starting to worry that I'm not cut out for all this stuff and that I should start looking into other jobs.

Any ideas on how to chill out? I usually do above average on the tests and that's ok for me. I've read lots of things about how this is normal for people in med school, but I don't want to worry about having this feeling for the rest of my life. How do you all handle this?

99% of people succeed. If I told you there was a 99% success rate in an operation, you'd probably feel pretty good about it.

So you got that.

Next, let go of the outcome. This is a very zen approach. Just do the work each and everyday, don't slack, but trust your daily efforts/planning will pay off. It's a long road so stress will only impede your progress.

 

[da8s0859q]

I can't help but wonder if others are struggling like I am (a lot of my classmates seem to know all the material and are out partying once or twice a week and hungover the next day)

Many of your classmates are not nearly as confident as you think they are.

 

[Wordead]

99% of people succeed. If I told you there was a 99% success rate in an operation, you'd probably feel pretty good about it.

So you got that.

Next, let go of the outcome. This is a very zen approach. Just do the work each and everyday, don't slack, but trust your daily efforts/planning will pay off. It's a long road so stress will only impede your progress.

That number (which isn't 99 anyway) doesn't take into account people who have to repeat, remediate tests, etc. Dont get complacent.

 

[katarina90]

I totally get you. First year was crazy for me. I even had to remediate a class. But after dealing with some health issues (inc., a CT scan of my brain) I realized that while obviously school is important, school isn't worth freaking yourself out over.

I agree with "letting go over the outcome". I am in second year now and it is going so, so much better. This is because I study every day and don't let myself get behind (or if I do, I make up for it that weekend), I preview everything for the week ahead and review everything from the previous week during the weekend. I don't think about how the results of a test will affect residency, or feel incompetent if I don't do as well as I would have liked.

Do your best day to day to make sure you don't fall behind. And then let go of it...make sure you get some exercise. Eat regularly. Go watch a movie every once in awhile. Make room for family/friends/hobbies if you have them--a little discipline with studying every day and you will be surprised how much more time you have! Wish you the best of luck!

 

[Crestfallen000]

Each day is so busy that I do not remember much 3 days later, so always have to go back to review. On top of that the stress from hours, minimal sleep etc has an effect.

You are doing above average, I am not sure what else could you ask for. :S

 

[Miss Alyssa]

Scuba diving?

If scuba diving is actually something you enjoy doing you should try to make more time for it. I dive and it is really relaxing.

One of my main stress relievers is sleep. I average 7-8 hours of sleep a night. It makes time management during waking hours very important but it also allows me to be happier and more productive.

 

[CaptainSSO]

Find a source of stress worse than school. I got one, and school is actually relaxing to me now, as crappy as that is.

My point: Find a way to put it in perspective.

 

[Morsetlis]

^ That can't be healthy.

 

[rmaj79]

Find a source of stress worse than school. I got one, and school is actually relaxing to me now, as crappy as that is.

My point: Find a way to put it in perspective.

School + girlfriend?

 

[giggle]

Exercise, days off, sex, hanging out with non-med students, BZs, meditation, and getting comfortable with med school (ie realizing you're not going to fail out).

Second this. My roommates are non-medical students, and it's really nice to chat with them about the world outside of our little medicine bubble.