your diabetes care plan and your health care goals. Know why find a diabetes teacher near you, call: The American Association of Diabetes Educators toll …
Control Diabetes: Getting Past Denial
Taking Charge of Your Diabetes Will Take Time
Listen to your feelings
Denial is common when dealing with diabetes You have heard it a million times, Diabetes care is up to you This is easy to say but hard to do Staying on track 24 hours a day, seven days a week can tire anyone out If you find you are in a slump, you might want to check to see if your feelings are getting in the way
Denial
Denial is that voice inside that keeps saying, Not me Most people go through denial when they are first told they have diabetes I dont believe it It must be a mistake, they say Saying this to yourself is normal The trouble comes when you keep trying to deny your diabetes Long-term denial stops you from learning what you need to know to keep yourself healthy I dont have time to do it My diabetes isnt that bad I only have to take a pill, not shots
If you hear yourself thinking or saying them, you are not taking care of some part of your diabetes
The Dangers of Denial
Denial is bad because it can creep into any part of diabetes self-care Any denial robs your health care Not testing It can be a bother to check your blood sugar each day or more You may decide
you know what your blood sugar is by how you feel But a meter is much better at telling you your blood sugar than feelings are
How to Spot Denial
Denial has a few catch phrases One bite wont hurt This sore will heal by itself Ill go to the doctor later
over
Not sticking with your meal plan Changing eating habits and food choices is tough You may have told yourself: I cant ask my family to change what they eat I dont want to eat alone or fix two meals Theres no place to buy healthy food where I work Eating right may not be as hard as you think A dietitian or diabetes teacher can help you
Not taking care of your feet You know you should check your feet each day, but it takes too much time, or you forget Washing and checking your feet for signs of trouble daily is needed to avoid injury This is true no matter what type of diabetes you have Smoking You might tell yourself, I only take a few puffs You may say smoking keeps you from eating too much Smoking and diabetes are a deadly duo People with diabetes who smoke are more likely to get diabetes problems than people with diabetes who do not smoke Quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health
What Can You Do
About Denial
Denial is human It is bound to crop up from time to time See it and fight back Write down your diabetes care plan and your health care goals Know why each item in your plan is needed Know your reasons for wanting to control your blood sugar Accept that it will take time to reach your goals Tell your friends and family how they can help Let them know that tempting you to go off your plan is not a kindness Tell them about how you take care of your diabetes They might want to adopt some of your healthy habits
For more information
Contact a Diabetes Educator nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other health professionals
To find a diabetes teacher near you, call:
The American Association of Diabetes Educators toll-free at 1-800-TEAMUP4 1-800-832-6874
or visit the website at wwwaadenetorg and click on Find an Educator
All Material on this handout is for information only This does not replace your doctors advice
Adapted From Diabetes Day by Day Copyright 2003 American Diabetes Association Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetic Association
