I have that. And that. And that.

I suppose the take-home message from this post, before you even read on, is that sometimes just being a nursing student takes its toll on you.

One of the first things a lot of people look at when learning about new illnesses and how to treat them is whatever page tells you the symptoms, and how the disease manifests itself. Most of the disease you look at will share a lot of early warning signs - a weaker immune system, fatigue, depression, persistent body aches and headaches, insomnia, appetite changes... all of these things could be a sign of countless health problems, and as a nursing student, there will be times where you point at the page and, even if just for a split second, entertain the idea that you have the disease. You entertain the idea that you have at least half of the diseases you read about, only to realize later (hopefully) that these symptoms are also characteristic of --

-- just being a nursing student. You're under countless amounts of stress. You don't always take as much care of yourself as you should. You're not always at your healthiest or at the top of your game because sometimes, you're running on no sleep and a little too much caffeine. You're cut off from the non-nursing world you were once a part of.

You look at psych diagnoses and begin to diagnose yourself and the people around you. "I'm totally depressed, she's completely histrionic, he's a total schizoid."

Maybe these things are exaggerated. Maybe they're true. Maybe you're truly stressed or depressed or anxious. But what are we doing to ourselves when we constantly continue to toss around diagnoses of ourselves or others, in jest or otherwise?

The point of a diagnosis, at least in the perspective that I've gained in my first year as a nursing student, is not to give labels - it's to provide a framework for providing care, for creating a jumping-off point to start the process of getting better, or if a cue is not possible, the process of at least living better.

By all means, don't stop using humor to get through your stress. It's part of the journey - it's part of studying and getting through. But also know that as you make jokes, don't allow yourself to lose sight of the fact that if you believe you or someone else may legitimately have a condition and would benefit from a diagnosis and treatment, don't just joke about it and leave it be. Stay conscious. Know when to be concerned for your own well-being or the well-being of others.