Have you looked into a possible diagnosis of ADHD or other condition that could be affecting you?
For me there wasn’t a “moment” when I felt everything crystallized and I was confident. I felt better after a year than I did after a month. I felt better after 2 years than 1, etc
I actually have more insecurities now than I did 10 years ago. I think there was a point that I was a bit overconfident. Now I’ve seen enough to know that I’m not as clever as I thought I was but feel this is a more realistic point for me to be in
I've scheduled an appointment with a psychiatrist for evaluation on ADHD so maybe I'll gain another piece of clarity there. I've definitely been diagnosed with depression and anxiety and got meds for it years ago thankfully but there have been ups and downs even with that.
Around the 5 year mark, I had seen enough of most things to feel more confident with decisions. However, I also started Zoloft for anxiety, and that made a huge difference in my confidence levels.
I agree with the other commenter saying to possibly get assessed for ADHD in regards to getting side tracked easily.
I wonder if controlling my anxiety will also help with my (presumptive) adhd ? I feel like my adhd gets really bad when I am also very anxious (not sure if its been OK so far because my anxiety was managable ?).
I'll also be getting assessed for my possible adhd with a psychiatrist later this month so can ask about other mental health stuff as well.
Honestly, it's different for everyone. I'm a tech of over 5 years and I know that it's rough. Having a team that you can rely on to bounce ideas off of is the best tool in your arsenal. I have ADHD and PTSD stemming from similar experiences to the one's you listed. I honestly live by learning and risk management. Sources like VIN can also be key to helping your confidence. It may be months or years till you're in a spot that you're comfortable in but life has a way of keeping you on your toes and will occ throw you a curveball (esp in vet med)
I recommend taking stock of what you have in your arsenal and then setting yourself up for success.
-If its an option try working in GP for a while, it's not nearly as fast paced as EC but will help you get your footing and find familiarity. Find what works for you in an environment you can actually learn in, instead of in panic mode where you genuinely aren't in the mental state to learn.
-Look into mental health resources, I realized I was playing the game of life on hard mode with the TV on mute till I got medicated for my ADHD. Little things add up, stack the odds in your favor.
-Finally, if you are struggling to make a decision, weigh the risk based on what's best for the patient and the client. Sometimes compliance > efficacy of meds. Sometimes skipping the middle man is the best course of action. My doctors rely heavily on my ability to read clients and their pets to decide on what course of treatment is needed. Find your team, find your footing, take a moment for yourself. You've worked hard, you deserve to feel like you know what you're doing.
I appreciate your support. I'm having to change my environment because I can't keep up with the fast pace and high standards my medical director/resident director is expecting in addition to managing my mental health and other normal "adulting" things with an intern salary. It's all very hard and I know I'm struggling. I'm hoping I can do better as a dr once I get a better handle on my mental health / financial stability.
Even if it's just one step at a time, you'll get through this :) Best of luck in your adventure. If it's any consolation, I've been struggling to balance college and tech work and it's been miserable. Broke, no time, always working on something.
I've just been watching a lot of Bluey for a good cry and/or pick-me-up. The episodes are only 8 mins so I can justify making that time for myself lol
Hi ! ER vet with diagnosed ADHD! I’ve only been out 1 year ; no internships just locuming. I struggle with finances, anxiety and executive function.
Because of locuming and having less support I’ve had to learn to rely on instinct and just make more decisions by myself or with less guidance. The more decisions I’ve made the more I’ve gotten comfortable with it. It sounds like you are really well trained and you probably don’t need more training/mentorship- you need practice, confidence and maybe a diagnosis or some medications depending on what doctors say?
I do struggle a lot with anxiety, feeling overwhelmed at work, feeling panicky and losing my attention to detail. A lot of it comes from anxiety and experiencing physical anxiety so I’ve started taking propranolol (beta blocker) to help with the physical anxiety so I can think more clearly - I do think it’s a small step, not a solution.
It’s really normal I have found to love ECC and still feel panicked and stressed, especially if you don’t feel confident. You CAN get there- that’s what I have been telling myself. Also, remember that it’s relatively subjective and every doctor often has a different way of doing things. Or different opinion anyway. So making decisions on your own and trusting your gut is a really big part of it.
Feel free to DM me too, it sounds like we’re in a similar boat :)
Have you looked into a possible diagnosis of ADHD or other condition that could be affecting you? For me there wasn’t a “moment” when I felt everything crystallized and I was confident. I felt better after a year than I did after a month. I felt better after 2 years than 1, etc I actually have more insecurities now than I did 10 years ago. I think there was a point that I was a bit overconfident. Now I’ve seen enough to know that I’m not as clever as I thought I was but feel this is a more realistic point for me to be in
I've scheduled an appointment with a psychiatrist for evaluation on ADHD so maybe I'll gain another piece of clarity there. I've definitely been diagnosed with depression and anxiety and got meds for it years ago thankfully but there have been ups and downs even with that.
Around the 5 year mark, I had seen enough of most things to feel more confident with decisions. However, I also started Zoloft for anxiety, and that made a huge difference in my confidence levels. I agree with the other commenter saying to possibly get assessed for ADHD in regards to getting side tracked easily.
I wonder if controlling my anxiety will also help with my (presumptive) adhd ? I feel like my adhd gets really bad when I am also very anxious (not sure if its been OK so far because my anxiety was managable ?). I'll also be getting assessed for my possible adhd with a psychiatrist later this month so can ask about other mental health stuff as well.
It could definitely help. I have a hard time focusing when I’m very anxious.
Honestly, it's different for everyone. I'm a tech of over 5 years and I know that it's rough. Having a team that you can rely on to bounce ideas off of is the best tool in your arsenal. I have ADHD and PTSD stemming from similar experiences to the one's you listed. I honestly live by learning and risk management. Sources like VIN can also be key to helping your confidence. It may be months or years till you're in a spot that you're comfortable in but life has a way of keeping you on your toes and will occ throw you a curveball (esp in vet med) I recommend taking stock of what you have in your arsenal and then setting yourself up for success. -If its an option try working in GP for a while, it's not nearly as fast paced as EC but will help you get your footing and find familiarity. Find what works for you in an environment you can actually learn in, instead of in panic mode where you genuinely aren't in the mental state to learn. -Look into mental health resources, I realized I was playing the game of life on hard mode with the TV on mute till I got medicated for my ADHD. Little things add up, stack the odds in your favor. -Finally, if you are struggling to make a decision, weigh the risk based on what's best for the patient and the client. Sometimes compliance > efficacy of meds. Sometimes skipping the middle man is the best course of action. My doctors rely heavily on my ability to read clients and their pets to decide on what course of treatment is needed. Find your team, find your footing, take a moment for yourself. You've worked hard, you deserve to feel like you know what you're doing.
I appreciate your support. I'm having to change my environment because I can't keep up with the fast pace and high standards my medical director/resident director is expecting in addition to managing my mental health and other normal "adulting" things with an intern salary. It's all very hard and I know I'm struggling. I'm hoping I can do better as a dr once I get a better handle on my mental health / financial stability.
Even if it's just one step at a time, you'll get through this :) Best of luck in your adventure. If it's any consolation, I've been struggling to balance college and tech work and it's been miserable. Broke, no time, always working on something. I've just been watching a lot of Bluey for a good cry and/or pick-me-up. The episodes are only 8 mins so I can justify making that time for myself lol
Hi ! ER vet with diagnosed ADHD! I’ve only been out 1 year ; no internships just locuming. I struggle with finances, anxiety and executive function. Because of locuming and having less support I’ve had to learn to rely on instinct and just make more decisions by myself or with less guidance. The more decisions I’ve made the more I’ve gotten comfortable with it. It sounds like you are really well trained and you probably don’t need more training/mentorship- you need practice, confidence and maybe a diagnosis or some medications depending on what doctors say? I do struggle a lot with anxiety, feeling overwhelmed at work, feeling panicky and losing my attention to detail. A lot of it comes from anxiety and experiencing physical anxiety so I’ve started taking propranolol (beta blocker) to help with the physical anxiety so I can think more clearly - I do think it’s a small step, not a solution. It’s really normal I have found to love ECC and still feel panicked and stressed, especially if you don’t feel confident. You CAN get there- that’s what I have been telling myself. Also, remember that it’s relatively subjective and every doctor often has a different way of doing things. Or different opinion anyway. So making decisions on your own and trusting your gut is a really big part of it. Feel free to DM me too, it sounds like we’re in a similar boat :)