How many medical students are depressed?

[MDStudent]

There are a couple people that I know of that are depressed at my school. I dont know what they're doing about it, but I figure it would be distracting their studies.

How many people in your medical school do you think were depressed? If it was you, what did you do about it?

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[Mikhail]

I've been feeling depressed for a few weeks. I'm not used to have 6 exams in 3 weeks. All of them are hude, like anatomy, biochem, histo, etc. I'm spending more time trying to improve my mood and self-confidence than anything else. I know that everything will improve soon. I just have to get used to the new life.

Good luck and stay optimistic.

Mikhail

 

[MDStudent]

how are you doing on your exams? does the feeling of depression get in your way of studying?

 

[nightowl]

I'm fighting it. I thnk finding a supportive network of friends in school is key. I know these first weeks we have all done some crying and some consoling. It makes is a lot easier when you have someone who will make you some tea when you need it, or kick you in the as* if you need it. So if you are being shy about getting to know people, just know that a lot of people in your class feel the exact same way as you do... And stay away from people that are competetive and mean- or act like they already know everything- they will DRAIN you...hope all is well, as my best friend says, just keep on keepin' on.

ps. I had a gross test and practical today, histo, biochem, developmental anatomy, and core concepts tomorrow. It's been pretty freakin terrible

 

[Mikhail]

how are you doing on your exams? does the feeling of depression get in your way of studying?

I failed the first biochem exam, I did better on the second. I did well on the histo and biostatistics. I'm not sure about anatomy.

I agree that you need to find good friends whom you can discuss your difficulties and who will support you during thought time. I haven't been successful yet.

Mikhail

 

[MDStudent]

I can start out studying just fine, but sooner or later those feelings start resurfacing and distracts me from studying. I feel perfectly fine and motivated sometimes, but other times i feel depressed, helpless and unable to study effectively. How do you guys fight this? Is this something that just gets better with time?

 

[FenderHM]

you guys should watch "what the bleep do we know"

i really think that movie helped me overcome depression

 

[morkdaddy21]

i cant imagine being so depressed that it interferes with your school work. just try to work hard and forget about it, and most likely you will be so into the studying that you will forget about everything else.

 

[MDStudent]

I've been feeling depressed for a few weeks. I'm not used to have 6 exams in 3 weeks. All of them are hude, like anatomy, biochem, histo, etc. I'm spending more time trying to improve my mood and self-confidence than anything else. I know that everything will improve soon. I just have to get used to the new life.

Good luck and stay optimistic.

Mikhail

hey what types of things are you doing to improve your mood and confidence? i am having the same trouble trying to keep my self-esteem high. so what kinds of things are working for you?

 

[hello_hi]

I too was depressed the first 2 years of medical school. I was lonely, stressed, over worked and had no social life. The best advice I can give is to take a break atleast once a week (like a Friday or Saturday) and RELAX.....don't think about school, dont' pick up a textbook. Go out and get drunk or hang out with friends. It really helped me escape. I also started taking paxil which helped me concentrate and lifted my mood somewhat.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

i cant imagine being so depressed that it interferes with your school work. just try to work hard and forget about it, and most likely you will be so into the studying that you will forget about everything else.

Not really good advice. To the op, have you contacted your school's counseling services? If it is interfering with your studies, it's something you want to address asap. Also, check into getting a prescription for something (either ssri or wellbutrin type drug).

 

[45408]

i cant imagine being so depressed that it interferes with your school work. just try to work hard and forget about it, and most likely you will be so into the studying that you will forget about everything else.

Not how depression works, homey. Exercise is a good way to counteract depression, but staying busy and studying more is not.

I get depressed periodically, and at that point, studying is pointless. I get down on myself for not getting into my first choice, not doing as well as I'm used to on our first exams, etc. Distracting? Yep. I just don't want to go see a psych yet....

This happened my junior year of college and lasted about a semester, at which point it kind of faded away.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Not how depression works, homey. Exercise is a good way to counteract depression, but staying busy and studying more is not.

I get depressed periodically, and at that point, studying is pointless. I get down on myself for not getting into my first choice, not doing as well as I'm used to on our first exams, etc. Distracting? Yep. I just don't want to go see a psych yet....

This happened my junior year of college and lasted about a semester, at which point it kind of faded away.

Yep, that's exactly how it goes. I was starting to have some of those thoughts yesterday, so I'm going to set up a counseling appointment after this week's test block. I've been depressed, and I'm not depressed right now, but I want to head off anything bad. Counseling at my law school sucked, though, so I'm hoping for something a little better here.

Speaking of which, med schools do a way better job of acknowledging that their students might get depressed and need help. Law students have similarly elevated levels of depression, but no one mentioned it and told us how to get help. Here, it seems like every email we receive from the school mentions the school counseling line.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

i cant imagine being so depressed that it interferes with your school work. just try to work hard and forget about it, and most likely you will be so into the studying that you will forget about everything else.

then you've never been seriously depressed; just thank God for your good fortune.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Not really good advice. To the op, have you contacted your school's counseling services? If it is interfering with your studies, it's something you want to address asap. Also, check into getting a prescription for something (either ssri or wellbutrin type drug).

true, that wasn't good advice. i can tell you at a really traumatic time in my life I DID throw myself so deeply into my work so i wouldn't have to think or feel. It worked for awhile. I ran so far from my feelings because it was just too painful and I became almost robotic. Eventually it caught up to me in the form of severe post traumatic stress disorder, night terrors (yes, even as an adult) and suicidal tendencies. There were times I was almost non-functional. I do not recommend ignoring the depression. Get help before it becomes too much to handle.

 

[MDStudent]

right now i feel like i wont ever snap out of it, and its preventing me from studying, even though i want to. what can i do to counteract this at the time that I feel this way?

 

[Paws]

I think depression is a common thing, alot of people feel 'blue' or whatever sometimes. I think alot of depression is also situational, like, you lost a job/friend/wallet/or whatever. I think med school is also a setup for depression in some ways because well, this medical student would study by herself and long hours by myself, studying stuff that I am not sure I can cover in the short time alotted - it was just freaking me out.

The diabolical thing about depression is that when you are depressed, you tend to think: nah! this is the REAL way to look at the world and I will always feel like this. I am sort of used to this now and so I am like, ok wait - that's just your depression talking ... Sometimes, I feel like I have to treat my depression like an awkward country cousin who's come to visit - sometimes unattractive and rough, but just visiting. "Oh, heck, it's you again!" But they're family and so you have to deal with them.

Go and talk to a friendly counselor and debrief your feelings. Talk therapy is priceless, and we all need the help sometimes.

oh, and another thing!! I also believe that depression is 'anger turned inward,' so I ask myself: what are you really angry about? when I feel super depressed. Sometimes, I need to get angry and deal with a situation or person that I have been just stuffing my feelings about. Hence, the value of talking to a good counselor ...

 

[drjeni2b]

md student and anyone else in med school who is depressed: I worked with depressed patients for 2 years doing research. If you think you are depressed - GO SEE SOMEBODY NOW!!! there is no reason you should be suffering with it. Medications and/or therapy have been proven effective as treatments in depression. Depression is a medical illness. you would never tell your grandma not to see the doctor for her diabetes or to stop taking her diabetes medicine. DEPRESSION IS TREATABLE. You can feel better if you just reach out for help! Good luck!!!

 

[SitraAchra]

i've got a twinge of depression. mainly because i'm working so hard and some of the results are less than fruitful. also it's very upsetting to be gaining weight when i used to be in good shape. i have no time to work out and i am stress eating. i'm trying to control those two things by forcing myself to run for at least 20 minutes a day and eat better.

i'm hoping it gets better as i get more used to the routine, but this is def. a new kind of feeling. i assume this is fairly normal because it's not horribly altering my life yet!

 

[Deanmonster]

i've got a twinge of depression. mainly because i'm working so hard and some of the results are less than fruitful. also it's very upsetting to be gaining weight when i used to be in good shape. i have no time to work out and i am stress eating. i'm trying to control those two things by forcing myself to run for at least 20 minutes a day and eat better.

i'm hoping it gets better as i get more used to the routine, but this is def. a new kind of feeling. i assume this is fairly normal because it's not horribly altering my life yet!

I'm in the same boat. I do exercise a couple times a week at least. So how do you know when the twinge turns into something that needs to be addressed? I'm tempted to just go get some drugs. Though, I'm sure I would be fine if I just had more time to destress and have some fun.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

I'm in the same boat. I do exercise a couple times a week at least. So how do you know when the twinge turns into something that needs to be addressed? I'm tempted to just go get some drugs. Though, I'm sure I would be fine if I just had more time to destress and have some fun.

doctors aren't always willing to just prescribe drugs. many think you should try to work it out with a therapist or psychologist before just indiscrimately prescribing drugs.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

doctors aren't always willing to just prescribe drugs. many think you should try to work it out with a therapist or psychologist before just indiscrimately prescribing drugs.

Not any doctors I've seen. Perhaps it's because I've only really seen pcps to get medication, but they give it to me no questions asked. It seems like most pcps operate under the general impression that all patients should be on SSRIs.

 

[RaaMD]

you guys should watch "what the bleep do we know"

i really think that movie helped me overcome depression

interesting movie.

 

[LuckyBambooGirl]

If you are depressed, definitely do not just wait for it to go away, do something about it. It doesn't hurt to go and talk to somebody, and if you don't click with the school appointed counselor, maybe your dean of students can give you a recommendation for someone else. I know there are counselors in my area that offer med students discounts. If you just ignore it, it will get worse because med school is not going to get less demanding or stressful, you just need to learn to reduce your stress level and your reaction to the stress. Counseling can help you do that. Medication can be part of the equation to.

 

[oompa loompa]

I think depression is a common thing, alot of people feel 'blue' or whatever sometimes. I think alot of depression is also situational, like, you lost a job/friend/wallet/or whatever. I think med school is also a setup for depression in some ways because well, this medical student would study by herself and long hours by myself, studying stuff that I am not sure I can cover in the short time alotted - it was just freaking me out.

The diabolical thing about depression is that when you are depressed, you tend to think: nah! this is the REAL way to look at the world and I will always feel like this. I am sort of used to this now and so I am like, ok wait - that's just your depression talking ... Sometimes, I feel like I have to treat my depression like an awkward country cousin who's come to visit - sometimes unattractive and rough, but just visiting. "Oh, heck, it's you again!" But they're family and so you have to deal with them.

Go and talk to a friendly counselor and debrief your feelings. Talk therapy is priceless, and we all need the help sometimes.

oh, and another thing!! I also believe that depression is 'anger turned inward,' so I ask myself: what are you really angry about? when I feel super depressed. Sometimes, I need to get angry and deal with a situation or person that I have been just stuffing my feelings about. Hence, the value of talking to a good counselor ...

There was a wonderful article on a writer's own struggle with depression in the January 1998 issue of The New Yorker. It's called Anatomy of Melancholy, by Andrew Soloman, and I'd like to share some of it with you.
I've struggled with depression myself and seen it ruin other people's lives, and that's one of the reasons I want to go into psychiatry/counseling. Always know that you are not alone, that help is there but you must take the initiative and go seek it yourself before it gets worse.

Andrew Soloman:

"I did not experience depression until I had pretty much solved my problems. I had come to terms with my mother's death three years earlier, was publishing my first novel, was getting along with my family, had emerged intact from a powerful two-year relationship, had bought a beautiful new house, was writing well. It was when life was finally in order that depression came slinking in and spoiled everything. I'd felt acutely that there was no excuse for it under the circumstances, despite perennial existential crises, the forgotten sorrows of a distant childhood, slight wrongs done to people now dead, the truth that I am not Tolstoy, the absence in this world of perfect love, and those impulses of greed and uncharitableness which lie too close to the heart -- that sort of thing. But now, as I ran through this inventory, I believed that my depression was not only a rational state but also an incurable one. I kept redating the beginning of the depression: since my breakup with my girlfriend, the past October; since my mother's death; since the beginning of her two-year illness; since puberty; since birth. Soon I couldn't remember what pleasurable moods had been like. "
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"Accuracy of perception is not an evolutionary priority. Too optimistic a world view results in foolish risk-taking, but moderate optimism gives you a strong selective advantage. "Normal human thought and perception," Shelley Taylor writes in her 1989 book, "Positive Illusions," "is marked not by accuracy but by positive self-enhancing illusions about the self, the world, and the future. Moreover ... these illusions are not merely characteristic of human thought; they appear actually to be adaptive." As she notes, "The mildly depressed appear to have more accurate views of themselves, the world, and the future than do normal people. [They] clearly lack the illusions that in normal people promote mental health and buffer them against setbacks."
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"When you are depressed, the past and the future are absorbed entirely by the present, as in the world of a three-year-old. You can neither remember feeling better nor imagine that you will feel better. Being upset, even profoundly upset, is a temporal experience, whereas depression is atemporal. Depression means that you have no point of view."

there's also this wonderful poem--"having it out with melancholy," by jane kenyon -- that he quotes often in the article. Here's a link to the poem...it's really, really great.

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15920

 

[beefballs]

my issue is this, i am swimming in work, dealing with insomnia and incredibly irritable -thank god the wife is understanding. I have flirted with addiction disaster in a past life and have been extremely reluctant to go on any meds b/c of this-the only thing is is that therapy and talking about things seems to piss me off worse than anything because I get in this wicked guilt cycle. I work out regularly, which is my anchor but I am considering going and getting on something like a lexapro because I am having a hard time keeping frustration/rage behind the damn. If I wasn't so terrified of dealing with drugs b/c of the fear of getting hooked (yes I know some don't have a "high" or addictive quality)I would be on something no questions asked, and for those that put it down as some kind of personal flaw, screw them.

 

[Paws]

"The mildly depressed appear to have more accurate views of themselves, the world, and the future than do normal people. [They] clearly lack the illusions that in normal people promote mental health and buffer them against setbacks."
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Hey Oompa, actually I heard a psychologist at NYU say this once. That being kind of depressed was actually an accurate way of looking at the world. It sounds crazy, but intuitively I believe it.

I have often felt that the dips and lows I go through are periods when I am working something out. I tend to feel better when I come through it because I have usually dealt with the feelings or situation that was bugging me and grown from the experience. I think our feelings were given to us to help guide us along the road of life. When we are overwhelmed and stressed and not doing things we enjoy and that nurture us - yes! we can get angry/sad/lonely/depressed. Our feelings are trying to talk to us and let us know what we need to pay attention to.

Just my 0.02 worth ...

 

[cfdavid]

If anyone's having longer term symptoms of depression, they should definately go talk to a professional.

If it's more a matter of the "blues" relative to a new lifestyle, with new challenges, then there may be other methods with which you can help yourself. I know the studying can get rigorous, and it's a competitive environment. But, make it a point to be humble yourself. Who care's if someone else appears more together (with the material) than you? That may be real or perceived, but it really doesn't matter as long as you're putting in a reasonable amount of time.

Try taking as positive an approach to the material (even the volume) as possible. Take it as a challenge, realizing that you're in the minority of people that REALLY CAN handle it. Also, realize that it really is some pretty cool stuff. And, if you don't feel that way, fake it, damn it! The basic science years (only 2 for god's sake, and time flies) do come to an end. So, just duke it out, but again, change the way you view the challenges, material, volume, whatever.......

Also, this may not work for some, but I really don't mind the gunners. You can learn from them, if they have some semblence of humanity that is. I'm benefiting a lot right now by studying with a dude that really works hard (and is pretty sharp). So, it keeps me on my toes, and pushes me to be better. So, don't necessarily avoid someone just because they may be a little cocky or have their material down. It's almost always due to a huge commitment they've made to time management. Perhaps one could learn from that.....

 

[RaaMD]

Hey Oompa, actually I heard a psychologist at NYU say this once. That being kind of depressed was actually an accurate way of looking at the world. It sounds crazy, but intuitively I believe it.

I have often felt that the dips and lows I go through are periods when I am working something out. I tend to feel better when I come through it because I have usually dealt with the feelings or situation that was bugging me and grown from the experience. I think our feelings were given to us to help guide us along the road of life. When we are overwhelmed and stressed and not doing things we enjoy and that nurture us - yes! we can get angry/sad/lonely/depressed. Our feelings are trying to talk to us and let us know what we need to pay attention to.

Just my 0.02 worth ...

Interesting way of looking at things. I agree with this point of view in many ways.

 

[MDStudent]

If anyone's having longer term symptoms of depression, they should definately go talk to a professional.

If it's more a matter of the "blues" relative to a new lifestyle, with new challenges, then there may be other methods with which you can help yourself. I know the studying can get rigorous, and it's a competitive environment. But, make it a point to be humble yourself. Who care's if someone else appears more together (with the material) than you? That may be real or perceived, but it really doesn't matter as long as you're putting in a reasonable amount of time.

Try taking as positive an approach to the material (even the volume) as possible. Take it as a challenge, realizing that you're in the minority of people that REALLY CAN handle it. Also, realize that it really is some pretty cool stuff. And, if you don't feel that way, fake it, damn it! The basic science years (only 2 for god's sake, and time flies) do come to an end. So, just duke it out, but again, change the way you view the challenges, material, volume, whatever.......

Also, this may not work for some, but I really don't mind the gunners. You can learn from them, if they have some semblence of humanity that is. I'm benefiting a lot right now by studying with a dude that really works hard (and is pretty sharp). So, it keeps me on my toes, and pushes me to be better. So, don't necessarily avoid someone just because they may be a little cocky or have their material down. It's almost always due to a huge commitment they've made to time management. Perhaps one could learn from that.....

I think this hits my situation really well. I feel homesick and I hate my secluded environment. But its been 5 weeks into the school year, so this is a bit much for these feelings. And I do get distracted by people studying more than I do. I guess I just have to change my viewpoint. But it negatively affects me to the point where it gets hard for me to study and keep up. Hopefully I can shake off these "blues."

 

[tulane06]

you guys should watch "what the bleep do we know"

i really think that movie helped me overcome depression

That movie is based on the ideas of JZ Knight, a "medium" who claims to "channel a Lemurian warrior Ramtha who raised an army and fought against the Atlantians over 35,000 years ago." Nobody with a scientific background should be duped into believing the nonsense that is put out in that movie.

 

[Long Dong]

i've got a twinge of depression. mainly because i'm working so hard and some of the results are less than fruitful. also it's very upsetting to be gaining weight when i used to be in good shape. i have no time to work out and i am stress eating. i'm trying to control those two things by forcing myself to run for at least 20 minutes a day and eat better.

Yeah this is how I felt during third year of med school. I'd bust my but on some rotations (arrive early, stay late, do extra call) and study every waking moment for the exam to only get a P and an average eval. Man it was depressing all that hard work for a subjective eval that if I did half the effort could of got the same evaluation. I was used to undergrade and the first 2 years of med school where you bust your but and put in the time you'd get the grade. It was like that learned helplessness theory of depression. I was helpless to control my evals, it was also subjective, some attendings just wouldn't give you an great eval and some gave them to everybody.

And the weight thing, man I put on 2-3 inches on my waist of pure fat during ob/gyn and surgery. I'm so glad third year is over.

 

[oompa loompa]

Hey Oompa, actually I heard a psychologist at NYU say this once. That being kind of depressed was actually an accurate way of looking at the world. It sounds crazy, but intuitively I believe it.

I have often felt that the dips and lows I go through are periods when I am working something out. I tend to feel better when I come through it because I have usually dealt with the feelings or situation that was bugging me and grown from the experience. I think our feelings were given to us to help guide us along the road of life. When we are overwhelmed and stressed and not doing things we enjoy and that nurture us - yes! we can get angry/sad/lonely/depressed. Our feelings are trying to talk to us and let us know what we need to pay attention to.

Just my 0.02 worth ...

you are so right, paws! I remember some of your other posts on related topics, and you always sound like you've gained a lot of maturity and perspective over the years. May we be as fortunate as you. Med school is HARD, and it's especially hard for introverted people like myself. I am definitely the kind of person who shuts down socially in times of stress--e.g. I don't like studying in the library b/c everyone else is there, sometimes I don't even want to go to class because I know I'm really crabby/tired and I'll probably give the cold-shoulder to my classmates. It doesn't help that I am just really slow at making friends, so sometimes it feels like I have found no real support network in med school yet.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm making a horrible mistake, going into a profession that demands excellent interpersonal skills, extraversion, an ability to put others at ease with talk, etc. I would probably be better suited for a job that entailed long periods of isolation and introspection. Unfortunately, like most other people, I do love and need human interaction and I genuinely want to dedicate my life to caring for others. It just becomes hard when I realize I'm not good at that.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Sometimes I wonder if I'm making a horrible mistake, going into a profession that demands excellent interpersonal skills, extraversion, an ability to put others at ease with talk, etc. I would probably be better suited for a job that entailed long periods of isolation and introspection. Unfortunately, like most other people, I do love and need human interaction and I genuinely want to dedicate my life to caring for others. It just becomes hard when I realize I'm not good at that.

Don't beat yourself up about that. You know, around 50% of people are introverts, which I know is contrary to how it seems. I would actually bet that a greater percentage of doctors are introverts because introverts tend to migrate towards more studious pursuits. You don't have to be outgoing and gregarious to be a good doctor, nor do you have to be that way to be liked or trusted by your patients.

 

[D30417995]

haven't had time to read through the whole thing...but i think exercise is A BIG HELP!

no matter how busy one can be, there's no excuse for not being able to run for at least 20 mins a day! it definitely lifts your mood, at least temporarily.

good luck!

 

[JoBlo]

I've heard that at least 50% of medical students will be hampered by clinical depression during medical school. A good portion will need anti-depressive therapy of some sort.

If your depressed your not alone... though it may feel that way.

 

[med_heidelberg]

Yes I think most of the people I know in med school here are depressed to some extent. I think its situational, not clinical though. The hyper competitive atmosphere and the crappy weather have a lot to do with this probably.

 

[Paws]

Paws here again, I AM depressed being a third year. Not all the time, but when I have a resident who belittles me, or is generally rude to people around him, yes I get depressed real fast. Third year - heck, med school in general - is so competitive it is hard if you are maybe not so cutthroat, etc. Third year is just a whole boatload of hustling people in your face, all day long. Very competitive, sometimes.

So, situational - yes. I feel fine when I come home and hang with my friends or whatever. Environment can dictate my moods, especially negative ones.

Hey Oompa, thanks for the kind words. I think you sound very sane to me. Well, and sensitive - which is always a good thing in life. I think your selfdoubt is very healthy and wise, and will serve you well. I mean, I think being able to question ourselves is a strength and makes for a good physician. I would rather have a physician who is honest in his/her doubt than one who says: I am absolutely right!!! Trust your instincts in wanting to become a physician, I am sure you're on the right path. I'm kind of tired, but I hope that makes sense.

 

[joedoctor]

haven't had time to read through the whole thing...but i think exercise is A BIG HELP!

no matter how busy one can be, there's no excuse for not being able to run for at least 20 mins a day! it definitely lifts your mood, at least temporarily.

good luck!

What about not having any legs? Seems like that would be a pretty good excuse.

Way to be insensitive man....

 

[SitraAchra]

What about not having any legs? Seems like that would be a pretty good excuse.

Way to be insensitive man....

*chortle*

 

[D30417995]

What about not having any legs? Seems like that would be a pretty good excuse.

Way to be insensitive man....

don't be picky

 

[Newquagmire]

I've heard it said that 33% of all medical students utilize mental health services at some point during medical school.

 

[Mixtli]

I can see why. Four prime age years gone. Family, dating, and career are delayed while your friends are starting theirs right now.

 

[jmrck]

To the OP, and those who are feeling any symptoms of Depression ( i.e. SIGECAP) I would strongly advise you to seek help. We all know that depression can become a huge cycle. We all got accepted into med school because the administrators have confindence that we can do the work. When one fails one exam and start to "beat themself up" this can lead to poor performance in the rest of your courses. We need to remember that we will have good and bad times throughout, but if the bad times seem to outweigh the good ones, then there is nothing wrong with seeking help. If you are not understanding concepts, get a tutor (sooner better than later). If you are experienceing personal problems, let your Student Affairs office know, there are ways they can help you. This advice is geared more towards the 1st and 3rd years, because I believe you guys are the ones going through the biggest transition periods. Believe me, you will feel a lot better when you get help, and 6 months down the line look back and see that you have made it through.
Jamrock

 

[PreMedAdAG]

Depressed? I don't know about depressed. Med school sucks right now because we're in class all day, and god knows at the age of 25 I would much rather be making a sale, going out to cocktails and watching Grey's Anatomy for an average weeknight, but the thing is, I still wouldn't be doing anything else. Yes, medicine makes me feel dumb, stupid, I'm even going to go for ******ed.... and I have to let it. There will always be someone who knows more than me and it humbles me everyday, I'm just trying to get used to the selfishness of med school and the humility it teaches me every day. It's Saturday, I'm studying about HIV, wearing scrubs because I'm too lazy to change, and I'm by myself... whooo hoooooo!!!!

However, I have to keep in mind that I'm also going to balance my night out by going to dinner with family and my fiance, and give myself props for going on a hot date last night!!

Life's not perfect.... then you have KIDS!!

Our parents were soooo right when they told us in our late teens that "this is the best time of your life, enjoy it!".... we were too busy moaning about high school crap like how Joey liked Susan instead of Marie and how Mrs. Such and such is a total B----

I think the slight depression comes from the realization that we're OFFICIALLY GROWN UPS

we'll get over it

 

[Mr.Tweed]

That movie (What the Bleep do we know?) is based on the ideas of JZ Knight, a "medium" who claims to "channel a Lemurian warrior Ramtha who raised an army and fought against the Atlantians over 35,000 years ago." Nobody with a scientific background should be duped into believing the nonsense that is put out in that movie.

Yeah, the movie also has neuroscience in it, and we all know that neuroscience is just a fad. Who wants to better understand their thoughts and behaviors anyway?

 

[Discobolus]

At my school they tell us that over the course of the 4 years 50% of the students will be seen by Student Mental Health, most of that is for depression and anxiety.

 

[tulane06]

Yeah, the movie also has neuroscience in it, and we all know that neuroscience is just a fad. Who wants to better understand their thoughts and behaviors anyway?

The "neuroscience" in that movie is all out of wack. For example, they show electric signals propagating across a synaptic cleft instead of neurotransmitters.

 

[MDStudent]

i talked to a couple of family members, which worked just like seeing a professional. i seem to be recovering quite nicely from the "depression." I would say that seeking professional help can't hurt, but just tell yourself that its OK to fail. you will find that you will be putting less pressure on yourself, thus reducing your stress level and helping you concentrate.

 

[NonTradMed]

This thread is depressing me with all this talk about med students being depressed in school.

I've been feeling the blues lately. It's probably the crappy weather, it's probably the hormones, and it's probably my the relationship issues I've been dealing with. All in all, it's been a craptastic week and I'm in a depressed funk. I hope I get out of it. Or maybe I'll visit the local therepist's office that they have for the med students here....