Whether you have just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, or whether you’ve lived with diabetes for a long time, you may need support for your emotional wellbeing. Perhaps you feel stressed, depressed, or burnt out. The people around you can feel all of this too.
In the weeks and months after you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you and the people close to you will have lots of questions about your condition and what this will mean for your future.
Changing what you eat, trying to do more exercise or taking medication can feel daunting. But many people with diabetes say that they get used to these changes and find balance in their life.
When you’re diagnosed with diabetes it can bring with it a great sense of loss. And after diagnosis, most people go through a period of mourning, which involves acknowledging your grief, anger and fear. This process is an important part of your emotional recovery, so don’t be tempted to rush or overlook it.
Be kind to yourself and celebrate small successes. Starting a mood diary or journal can be a great way to keep track of your emotions and spot any links between how you feel physically and emotionally. It’s also important to open up to someone you can trust. You can share your diabetes peak (success) and diabetes pit (difficulty) of the day or week with them, to help make it easier for you to talk about how diabetes makes you feel.
As time goes on, you will adjust to your new way of life and you’ll become more confident in your ability to cope with the demands that diabetes can throw at you. Difficult emotions might come back at times, but if they don’t last too long, try not worry about it. It can be hard to feel positive about your diabetes all the time.
- Stress doesn’t cause diabetes but it can affect your blood sugar levels and how you look after your condition. Having diabetes to manage on top of life’s normal ups and downs can itself be stressful. It’s not always easy to live with and this can also feel harder when many people don’t understand it.
- Depression is a serious a condition, but it can be treated. Symptoms of depression include feeling sad or down for more than two weeks, lack of interest and pleasure in your normal activities and other symptoms such as problems sleeping, lack of energy and difficulty concentrating. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, talk to your GP or healthcare team
Make your time count by volunteering for one or more of the many DATT events. You’ll make a difference through community outreach, advocacy, and inspiration.