I feel very depressed

[abbeyroad35]

I'm feeling very depressed. I'm in med school and struggling hard with the workload and socially. A bunch of my old friends kinda cast me aside, I guess because they think I'm not cool or something. The pace is brutal and competitive and I'm really lonely and tired of being single. It's very hard for me to find time to meet anybody and I'm totally fed up and tired of the people in my life right now. I feel like I'm in hell right now and part me of just wants this all to end. What should just I do with myself?!? I'm just 2 years and it feels like everything will only get worse!!

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[Mad Jack]

See a psychiatrist.

 

[abbeyroad35]

See a psychiatrist.

Do you think this would help me? I'm just worried about how I'll be able to handle the rest of this year and clinicals if I get labeled depressed clinically.

 

[Mad Jack]

Do you think this would help me? I'm just worried about how I'll be able to handle the rest of this year and clinicals if I get labeled depressed clinically.

Your medical records are confidential. Being depressed is not your school's business to know and will in no way affect you clinically.

 

[Jinxapotato]

I'm feeling very depressed. I'm in med school and struggling hard with the workload and socially. A bunch of my old friends kinda cast me aside, I guess because they think I'm not cool or something. The pace is brutal and competitive and I'm really lonely and tired of being single. It's very hard for me to find time to meet anybody and I'm totally fed up and tired of the people in my life right now. I feel like I'm in hell right now and part me of just wants this all to end. What should just I do with myself?!? I'm just 2 years and it feels like everything will only get worse!!

Hey OP, it's just a personal experience, but it helped me greatly throughout the years of travel (I basically jump to a new city where I know nobody every 2 years, for 6 years now). While I agree that friends and families are really important supporting networks for you, you have to learn to be able to "be alone". Medical school dictates that we do not have the time or leisure to pursue what most people perceive as normal life, and that alone may estrange your once "close buddies" or set you aside from the ordinary Jon who does a 9-5 job. As such, you need to be your own motivator, think what you had in mind before you came here, and what got you thus far? You need to be strong for yourself, and always try your best to get through tomorrow, and the day after that, then the day after. In the end, you will be a stronger person who can carry his own weight, whether your best friends/family/SO is able to lend you a hand or not.

 

[Azete]

We all go through tough times in med school, but I've noticed for myself and others the depressing times are usually correlated with periods where you stop taking care of yourself. Are you exercising, eating well, going outside, sleeping, etc.? Sometimes we get so caught up in learning material because we always feel behind. But that's med school, you're never going to be able to learn everything and you just have to come to terms with that.

Every day, make sure you set aside 7-8 hours for sleep, time to make/eat three proper meals, time for exercise, and at least an hour of fun personal time (try to go outside every time the sun's out). Now that you've done that, fit in your studying with the remaining hours -- remember that med school always come second to your personal well being. If you do that, I think you'll find that the depression sort of takes care of itself.

As for socially, try posting on your class Facebook group and see if any study groups have an extra spot -- even if it's just for one particular class. Personally I study more efficiently by myself, but I still study in a group for one class because just being able to interact with people and know I'm not alone in my struggle helps a lot with my mentality.

 

[Goro]

Get to you school's counseling center STAT!

Don't be noncompliant patient...you're going to have to deal with too many of those as a doctor!

I'm feeling very depressed. I'm in med school and struggling hard with the workload and socially. A bunch of my old friends kinda cast me aside, I guess because they think I'm not cool or something. The pace is brutal and competitive and I'm really lonely and tired of being single. It's very hard for me to find time to meet anybody and I'm totally fed up and tired of the people in my life right now. I feel like I'm in hell right now and part me of just wants this all to end. What should just I do with myself?!? I'm just 2 years and it feels like everything will only get worse!!

 

[Milotic]

Do you think this would help me? I'm just worried about how I'll be able to handle the rest of this year and clinicals if I get labeled depressed clinically.

Being "labeled" with a diagnosis just is confirming something that is already there. I see our school's psychiatrist all the time. Reaching out was hands down the best decision I made in medical school. I suggest it to everyone who isn't feeling well mentally.

 

[Rekt]

Do you think this would help me? I'm just worried about how I'll be able to handle the rest of this year and clinicals if I get labeled depressed clinically.

I would personally see a psychiatrist that is not affiliated with the school whatsoever. Schools say that everything is confidential, but I do not believe them.

 

[Bacchus]

If you feel down, depressed or hopeless, please get help with a trained medical professional.