There are many things that people with diabetes need to take care of every day, such as regular blood glucose monitoring, taking medications regularly, watching their diet and exercising in moderation.
When finding it hard to keep up and exhausted, try the following.
Explain to yourself that no one is perfect
For people with diabetes, controlling blood sugar is a constant battle, and even the most resilient people occasionally slack off when it comes to focusing on managing blood sugar, diet, or exercise.
Alicia Mc Auliffe~Fogarty, PhD, a clinical health psychologist, notes, “Diabetes is a very unique condition because patients need to make medical decisions every minute of every day.
“It can be doubly stressful.” Dr. David Nathan, director of the Diabetes Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, said, “It can be a very painful time to live if you’re always feeling drained because of diabetes.” He notes that it’s important to learn to forgive yourself appropriately even if you don’t reach your set goals over time: “It’s a time to calm down and tell yourself to do your best, and you need to realize that no one is perfect.”
Attention to stress
Living with diabetes can be a time of fear, anger, worry and sadness.
Dr. Lawrence Fisher, director of the Diabetes Behavior Research Group at the UCSF School of Medicine, studied what clinicians call “diabetes apprehension” in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. He found that over an 18-month period, as many as 1/3 to 1/2 of people with diabetes suffered from it.
He listed seven common causes of worry in people with type 1 diabetes, the most common of which was a sense of helplessness.
Lawrence noted, “Blood glucose measurements are not constant and can fluctuate greatly, requiring constant adjustment to the measurements, which can create an overwhelming sense of helplessness.”
Causes of apprehension
Other common causes of apprehension in people with type 1 diabetes include:
- Worrying about what people around you think;
- Wanting good health care;
- Feeling a lack of support from family or friends, or feeling like they are “diabetes watchdogs”;
- Fear of severe hypoglycemia;
- Fear of severe hypoglycemia
- The pressure to manage blood glucose levels;
- Not knowing what to eat or when to eat.
Lawrence said that people with diabetes should pay attention to the stress they are under and try to address the above issues in a timely manner. He recommends that patients attend support groups or workshops, which can help them feel better about their stress.
He found that people with type 2 diabetes also feel powerless, and that feelings of failure and negative social perceptions are other common sources of worry for people with type 2 diabetes.
There is a need to always be aware of what diabetes is doing to you, and the fewer distractions you have, the better you can manage your disease.
Set achievable goals
Breaking down a big goal into multiple smaller, better-managed goals can be effective in avoiding burnout.
Alicia, who has type 1 diabetes, says, “It’s often more effective to work toward a larger goal over time with a few smaller goals.”
For example, when you need to lose 50 pounds, set a goal of losing 2 pounds a month; if you usually drink soda, try changing your diet; if you usually eat a box of ice cream, switch to half a box.
Alicia, who is also vice chair of the American Diabetes Association’s lifestyle management team, believes that “people with diabetes should be constantly adjusting their treatment plan based on their existing lifestyle.”
Requesting help
Build and use social networks. In addition to doctors, patients need to find reliable counselors or family friends who can be there when they are feeling down. Also, sharing stories in a diabetes support group can be a big help.
Seek help from those closest to you. Alicia notes that it’s OK to ask loved ones for help with anything: including asking family members to remind you to take your medication or asking a friend to accompany you on a walk a few times a week. According to her, “People can easily fall apart if they lose the support of the community.”
Recognizing that transformation is not easy
Change can be a challenge for anyone, and it’s especially hard for people with diabetes who need to make changes while controlling their blood sugar.
Alicia noted that being diagnosed with a complication and trying a new treatment can cause apprehension.
To ease the stress, try anticipating and preparing for major changes that may occur in your life, which can be effective in managing the effects of diabetes.
Communicate with your doctor in detail
Regular follow-up appointments. When meeting with your doctor, you need to detail your current physical condition and psychological status. Diabetes makes patients more likely to experience depression or anxiety. More importantly, these feelings can also greatly impact a patient’s ability to manage their diabetes.
Alicia noted that a healthy mental state is as important as eating right and exercising, but is often overlooked, and that patients should be proactive in communicating their situation to their doctors, who, while trained in managing diabetes, may not know enough about the psychological toll it takes.