Honestly, the daily life of a diabetic, measuring blood glucose, taking medications, and counting carbohydrates, can be exhausting. Many people with diabetes have had moments when they feel very frustrated or feel defeated by their disease. Some may even choose to abandon part (or all) of their treatment regimen, says Rita Panayioto (registered dietitian and certified diabetes education specialist).
“Sometimes patients will say to me, ‘I’m going to give myself a break from diabetes care,'” Panayioto said. But a “vacation” from disease management can put patients at higher risk for serious complications.
Panayioto offers the following tips to help patients avoid diabetes burnout and get their lives back on track.
- Meet with your own treatment team: Even if it may feel embarrassing, patients should make regular appointments with their doctor or diabetes education specialist and keep them. Making appointments can give patients the opportunity to address issues. For example, Panayioto often meets with patients who may abandon their diet plans because they are confused about what they can and cannot eat. She will outline a simple meal plan and give advice on how to diversify meals to prevent boredom. She finds this meeting can be very helpful to patients.
- Don’t demand perfection: While it’s important to keep blood sugar levels within the target range, patients need to accept that blood sugar fluctuations can happen even when they do their best.
“Things like so-called perfect control don’t exist,” Panayioto said. “Even if you put someone in a room and give them the exact same diet every day, you’re still going to see some variation because there’s going to be interference from factors like stress or hormone levels.”
Some of those parts are just out of their control, and if patients can accept that, they won’t get frustrated as easily.
- Focus on the wins: Take time to appreciate the things you did right, even if they were small, such as the walk you took after dinner yesterday or the apple you ate for lunch, Panayioto said. Then, build on those accomplishments by setting goals that are easier to reach. For example, take an extra walk this week, keep a food journal for seven days in a row, or eat a fruit or vegetable at every meal.
Consult your doctor
- What will happen if I take my diabetes regimen off?
- Can you check my diet regimen?
- Are there some parts of my diabetes management routine that are more important than others? Which things should be prioritized?
- Can you put me in touch with a support group or study group for people with diabetes?