Nurses with mental illness can have a much harder time than most in their career. It’s hard to feel capable of the intense responsibility when you’re already struggling with depression and/or anxiety. Your patient’s life is in your hands and that is a hard thing for anyone to handle. What if you miss something? What if you forget something? Maybe you heard/saw/felt something, but maybe you didn’t. Why are the other nurses so calm? Why do they seem to be so much better than you? These are just some of the thoughts that nurses deal with, especially those with a mental illness. The anxious nurse is constantly second-guessing and is always so hard on yourself. The low self-esteem that you feel in your personal life can easily bleed into your professional life. The depressed nurse may not have the energy to handle the long hours and physical nature of the job. Nursing is a very stressful job, no matter what type of nursing you do. This category focuses on supporting nurses and offering encouragement.