Diabetes Distress Addressed

Diabetes Distress Defined

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes distress (also known as “diabetes-specific distress” or “diabetes-related distress”) is the emotional response to living with diabetes, the burden of daily self-management, and the potential of experiencing long-term complications. Diabetes burnout is a step further and is described as a state of physical or emotional exhaustion caused by the continuous distress of diabetes (and efforts to manage it). Typically, the individual feels that despite their best efforts, their blood glucose levels are unpredictable and disappointing.

Navigating Diabetes Distress 

My two top tips for navigating diabetes distress are as follows (keep in mind, this will vary depending on a person’s age):

1. Ask for and accept help whenever and wherever possible.

I know this is a very broad statement so this could include: seeing a therapist who can support you, make sense of your distress and help you find healthy ways to cope with it and other life challenges; requesting accommodations in school or at work; asking a family member to help you stock up on snacks or drinks to treat low blood sugars; if you’re a parent, accepting a friend’s offer to help you with carpooling your children; if you’re a child or teen or even young adult, having a parent manage your blood glucose (BG) levels for a day. We all need help from time to time. Don’t be afraid to ask for it or accept someone’s offer to help.    

2. Don’t aim for perfection -- you will constantly be disappointed.

Set yourself up for success by instead aiming for good control -- knowing that your BG levels will never be perfect for long lengths of time. Do your very best but know that so many factors impact your blood glucose (BG) levels. While it’s important to be curious about why your BG is what it is at any given time, know that influential factors include what you eat, how much insulin you have on board, how active you are, how stressed you are, whether you are ill, what you ate yesterday, etc. You can drive yourself mad trying to obtain perfect BG levels at all times, without any variance.

Mental Health Care for People with Diabetes

While mental health impacts diabetes, the reverse is true as well. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), people with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to struggle with depression than people without diabetes. And in any 18-month period, 33% to 50% of people with diabetes have diabetes distress. Therefore, it is essential to tend to your mental health as a way to improve your overall health and control of the disease. For example, if you’re struggling with depression, it may make it more difficult to properly care for your household chores let alone, blood glucose control. If someone struggles with anxiety, they may also panic in the face of a low or high BG which will make managing BGs more difficult. Let’s be honest, the mental load of determining how much insulin to take, how many carbohydrates to eat, or when to change the insulin pump or give an injection requires constant attention – 24 / 7. This can easily lead to discouragement, depression, anxiety and diabetes distress. That said, be mindful of your mental health and seek a therapist and/or psychiatrist for support if you feel overwhelmed.     

Importance of Social Support with Diabetes Distress

Our social support includes friends, neighbors, family members, coworkers, classmates, teammates, teachers, physicians, religious ministers, coaches and bosses. These are the people in our lives who we speak to, work with, play with, look to for answers and encounter on the day-to-day. When we isolate ourselves, we lose touch with our social support and the opportunity to connect with those who can help us when we feel down, distressed, discouraged, lonely, confused or anxious. Our social support can help us feel more connected, understood, valued and assisted. Thus, if you or someone you know struggles with diabetes distress, reach out to a trusted social support for help. Without social support, managing diabetes distress by yourself can feel overwhelming and negatively impact your diabetes management, and ultimately, your health and wellbeing.