COPING with THE EMOTIONS of DIABETES. When you are diagnosed with diabetes, changes will need to be Getting diabetes may have been beyond your control. …
10712 Sam Snead, El Paso, TX 79935
COPING with THE EMOTIONS of DIABETES
When you are diagnosed with diabetes, changes will need to be made in your
life You may experience new worries, such as: having to take oral
medications or shots; planning meals; exercising regularly; telling loved
ones that you are diabetic; the cost of supplies; seeing a doctor more
frequently; and the dangers of having heart, nerve, eye, or kidney
problems It is a big responsibility being diabetic and it is normal to be
concerned about all of these things However, it is very important that
you be in charge of your health People cope with being diabetic in
different ways You may experience one, several, or all of these feelings
at different times Know that they are all normal, and understanding can
help you deal with them
|ANGER |DENIAL |
|You may be angry and that is okay What |There are people who refuse to accept |
|is important is that you deal with it in a|that they have diabetes They might say,|
|healthy manner Here are some tips for |I just have a little sugar problem, but |
|dealing with
anger: |Im not diabetic They may not |
|recognize when you are angry, admit it, |recognize the seriousness of their |
|and try to understand why |condition and might refuse to take care |
|talk about your feelings to a good friend,|of themselves It is normal to deny |
|an understanding family member, or your |things that scare us But if you |
|doctor |continue in denial for a long time and it|
|continue to learn about diabetes |interferes with you taking care of |
| |yourself, it is dangerous |
|FEAR |GUILT |
|Having any chronic life-long disease can|Believe it or not, there are some people |
|make most people feel afraid Too much |who feel guilty about being diabetic |
|fear can make you feel helpless Too |They may say If only I had, or I |
|little fear can make you behave recklessly|should have known, or What did I do |
|such as not taking care of your health |wrong? Having a little guilt can be |
|Having a healthy
amount of fear can help |healthy But, understand that you are |
|you by motivating you to learn and to make|not responsible for your disease |
|changes in the way you live Talking |Getting diabetes may have been beyond |
|about your fears is an excellent way to |your control What is important now is |
|deal with them |to do something about it |
|DEPRESSION |
|When people first learn that they have diabetes, many get depressed and feel sad |
|They feel that their life has changed forever and they have lost their independence|
|Sometimes people who are depressed dont feel like doing anything They may become |
|isolated and stop communicating with family and friends They may have trouble |
|eating or sleeping Being withdrawn in this manner can make depression worse |
|However, there are effective ways of dealing with depression: |
|talk about your disease with your doctor |visit with friends and family - get out |
|and other people on your healthcare team |and about and stay connected with people |
|do things
that bring you enjoyment - |there are changes that you must make, but|
|continue to learn and grow |make them gradually |
|get control of your blood sugar - it will |take life one day at a time |
|improve your mood | |
|ACCEPTANCE |
|Acceptance is the goal in coping with diabetes When you accept your condition, you|
|can then take the steps needed to keep it in control It takes time, information, |
|and the help of loved ones and your healthcare team And, it is normal for old |
|fears, anger, or sadness to come back Just recognize them and take charge again |
10/24/2002 - SKR
Source:state.hi.us
