When you find out you have diabetes, you may focus on treating the physical disease, which is reasonable because it is the most pressing need; but the disease may also trigger a strong emotional response.
People who have had diabetes for some time usually know that this is just the beginning of a long journey of emotional turmoil. People with diabetes are more likely to experience psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. Focusing on improving your emotions will also help you take better care of your body’s needs.
Coping with the news of the disease
Learning about diabetes can be upsetting, confusing, or sad, and these feelings are understandable.
Usually, these feelings calm down slowly over time. Sometimes, however, these feelings stay too long and the patient can get stuck in an emotional cycle that makes it more difficult to manage the condition. To cope with this emotional storm that occurs after learning about the condition, consider the following suggestions.
- Learn as much as you can. Information is power. Understanding your health and how to manage it can help you find solutions when you are worried or confused.
- Make a plan. Set goals for things like healthy eating, exercise, and learning. A good plan can put yourself back in control. Break down tasks into smaller parts to make them easier to accomplish.
- Take to the pen. Journaling helps organize thoughts and identify emotional triggers. For example, it may be possible to realize that you are annoyed by the impact of diabetes on your social life, or upset that you have to tell someone about your diabetes. Understanding the patterns of these mood swings may help find ways to deal with these emotional issues.
- Trying to communicate. The presence of a serious health condition may make a person feel isolated from the world. Seek help from family, friends, or support groups to tell them how you really feel.
- Talk to a treatment professional. A good treatment professional will provide an outlet for patients to vent their emotions and can also teach new skills for coping with the challenges of diabetes.
Beware of anxiety disorders
Building a good foundation can help manage the anxiety, depression, and diabetes distress that comes with diabetes.
Fear and worry are part of human nature. However, fears and worries become more serious problems if they interfere with work, relationships, and daily life if they persist. Anxiety disorders may be present if the following symptoms persist for at least 2 weeks:
- Constant worrying;
- Feeling tense or restless;
- Hard to relax;
- Heart rate higher than normal;
- Muscle tension;
- Sweating;
- Tightness in the chest;
- Shaking;
- Stomach discomfort.
Anxiety-induced rapid heartbeat, sweating, and shaking may be mistaken for low blood sugar, which can be determined by testing blood sugar levels.
Beware of depression
Everyone feels sad from time to time, but depression is much more than just feeling blue. Depression can drain energy and make people feel hopeless. It’s important to pay attention if you experience the following symptoms:
- The things you used to enjoy doing are no longer appealing;
- Increased or decreased weight due to a change in eating habits;
- Feeling anxious or restless;
- feeling sad or empty most of the time;
- Feeling guilty, feeling like a burden to others;
- Having difficulty concentrating;
- Hard to fall asleep or have difficulty sleeping deeply, or sleep during the day;
- Low energy and sluggish behavior;
- Thinking about suicide, wanting to die or thinking about how to hurt yourself.
If you have at least 3 of these symptoms, or if you are depressed all the time and 1 or more of these symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, you may have depression.
Beware of diabetes pain
In addition to all the responsibilities in life, people with diabetes have to constantly try to manage their condition. Sometimes there is a deep sense of powerlessness and a desire to rest. Doctors have a name for this psychological burden for people with diabetes: diabetes distress.
Diabetes distress is more than worry.
Diabetes distress is more than just worrying. Diabetes can take a toll on a person’s mental health: anxiety, depression, depression, stress, and more. Every person with diabetes experiences diabetes distress. But if this psychological condition persists and you feel exhausted, it can become a problem.
Be kind to yourself
If sadness turns into depression or stress escalates into anxiety, it is important to seek help and talk to your doctor or a treatment professional about your feelings. Help with emotional control may be needed, or you can enhance your feelings by following these practical steps.
It is easy for patients to think they are not doing enough, or to feel that everything is exhausting. This can be balanced with the following.
- Exercise regularly. Exercise can soothe depression, anxiety and stress. Yoga, calisthenics, or simply taking a walk in nature can be helpful.
- Get enough sleep. Everything is harder when you feel tired. Get into the habit of going to bed at the right time every night.
- Stop being self-critical. No one is perfect. If you screw up, relax and don’t be hard on yourself.
- Reward yourself. Find healthy ways to treat yourself that don’t make you feel like you’re tired of working all the time. Give yourself rewards when you reach your goals.
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Check your plan
Make sure the plans you make are working for you and not backfiring.
- Adjust your goals. If you’re always falling short of your goals, maybe it’s because you’re setting them too high. Lower your expectations and set goals that are easy to achieve.
- Start small. A huge, radical change may feel good, but it’s hard to achieve. Start with small changes and develop good habits.
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Stay connected
- Consider family therapy. Diabetes can be difficult for the entire family. In treatment, learn how to work with your family to manage your condition, but also work on organizing your emotions and learning how to express them.
- Find a support group. Talk to other people with diabetes online or in person to share their stories and get advice.
- Stay connected and keep an open mind. Meet with family and friends often. Tell them honestly about your feelings and experiences, and accept their help.
Try positive thinking
Positive thinking and relaxation can also be very helpful.
- Go with the flow. When trying to fight your feelings, you may make it worse. Let it go and just remember that the bad feelings will always dissipate.
- Learn relaxation techniques. From deep breathing to meditation, try new ways to stay calm.
- Be grateful. This may sound corny to some people, but it works. Think about the things you should be grateful for and your mood will turn around.