When you are diagnosed with diabetes, it’s common to build certain psychological fears and doubts about the future to live with it. When you find out about having diabetes the first time, it might be hard to believe – you might panic, be really sad, tensed, and worried, thinking why diabetes? and why you? These overwhelming feelings and emotions are normal and quite common. Different people deal with it in their own time and their own way. Give yourself some time, too!
Coping with Diabetes
The condition of diabetes can have an effect on the person’s mood. Understanding and learning how to take proper treatment for diabetes at home and work will mentally and physically help you feel better every day. Diabetes is associated with stress and anxiety that contributes to a person’s overall mood change. The lows and highs of blood sugar levels also cause confusion, more stress and nervousness.
These mood swings can get difficult for family and friends to understand. However, continuing to give support during their diabetes mood swings can promote healthier and stronger relationship with the person and they might feel better and overcome the negative feelings within no time. They can also manage their stress, anxiety, and depression better.
Mental Symptoms related to Diabetes
Constantly keeping a check on the blood sugar levels, adjusting to the new diabetes diet and lifestyle changes can also add to a person’s anxiety and stress in this condition. The constant feeling of depression, stress and anxiety in diabetes is a mental health condition known as diabetes distress. It includes the following elements –
- Feeling anxious
- Feeling confused
- Difficulty in making a decision
- Difficulty in thinking quickly and clearly
- Having low energy
- Fatigue
- Nervousness
- Difficulty in following the diabetes treatment plan
- High A1C levels
- More stress due to more visits to the diabetes doctor due to complications
About 50 per cent people having diabetes experience distress at some point while managing this condition.
Helpful Tips
Diabetes management requires a fine balance which does not affect a person’s life or enjoyment on the regular. Better health choices whenever possible are the key to managing diabetes and overcoming the negative feelings, sooner.
Strong support system
Reach out to your loved ones to share your fears and concerns and find comfort in their support. Having a strong network that supports you in a health condition that is bringing you down, can be really helpful and help you face the everyday challenges of diabetes easily.
Self-management Diabetes Program
Improve your quality of life with continuous support from a diabetes self-help group. Apollo Sugar provides round-the-clock access to an expert diabetes team to prevent severe diabetes complications and mental symptoms related to the diabetes distress. You can get this support at the comfort of your home with Apollo Sugar Diabetes Home Care Kit.
- Video Consultation with diabetes doctors and endocrinologists
- Doctor connected glucometer
- Video chat with Dieticians, and Diabetes care team for all diabetes-related queries
- Continuous support at the comfort of your home
Diabetes Routine
Maintaining a regular meal routine can help a person manage their blood sugar levels better if they eat on time every single day not vary the portion sizes.
Small possible changes without expecting sudden changes
Small achievable goals are more realistic and can promote a sense of major accomplishment compared to unrealistic sudden dramatic changes for improving a person’s overall well-being and health.
Take Medication on Time
Regularly checking your blood sugar levels help a lot in alleviating the diabetes distress. Also taking medicines on time will help manage diabetes better.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise can help lift the mood and also maintain good health and a healthy weight. Make sure you check your blood sugar levels before and after your workout schedules.
