Coping with Diabetes Distress

Managing a chronic illness can be overwhelming. If you have diabetes – and worldwide approximately 425 million people, or 1 in 11 adults do[1] - you know this all too well.  Daily diabetes self-care includes glucose testing, foot care, exercise, dietary changes/food preparation, and taking multiple medications. A study found that on average, a person with diabetes spends almost an hour a day on diabetes self-care. [2]

Taking care of yourself to manage diabetes can be stressful and tiring. This is especially trye if regardless of how well you follow your required daily routine, your blood glucose remains too high.

Besides frustration with self-care, diabetes distress can include:[3]

• Fears about the future and concern over developing diabetes complications
• Concerns about the quality and cost of medical care
• Feeling lack of support from family members and/or friends

Tips for coping

Owing to the severity of the disease, you cannot give up taking care of your condition, yet you can find ways to deal with the distress you may be feeling. Here are some tips from the CDC for coping with diabetes distress: [4]

Pay attention to your feelings: If you are feeling overwhelmed coping with your diabetes for more than a week, you may need outside help to feel better. Pay attention to your feelings to see how long they last.

Talk to your health care providers about your feelings:  Once you acknowledge your distress, talk to your doctor, nurse, diabetes educator and any other health care providers who are part of your care and treatment. They can help problem-solve your concerns and may suggest other health care providers who can help.

Talk to friends and family:  Your friends and family can be a great source of help in relieving stress. However, they also may add to the stress even without knowing it. Be open with them about your feelings and let them know when you need them to help you.  Allow those closest to you to help you take are of your diabetes: remind you to take your medicines, help monitor blood sugar levels, encourage, and participate with you in exercise.

Talk to others with diabetes:  Look for diabetic support groups online or in your community to connect with others who have diabetes. They can help you feel less alone and provide information on what works for them in dealing with their diabetes.

Take things one at a time: Make a list of everything you need to do daily to care for yourself. Focus on one task at a time to lower your stress.

Do things you enjoy: Relieve stress by doing things you enjoy. Make it a point to set aside time each day to call a friend, play a game, work on a project, go for a walk or go to a movie. Give yourself the needed break to feel good.

If you are feeling distress about your diabetes, take action and reach out to your network to get the support you need.  

[1] Beverly, Liz, Ph.D., Hughes, Allyson, PhD., Nelson, Lyndsay A, Ph.D., Ramirez Loyola, Maria, MA, Vela, Alyssa, PhD.,
“What is Diabetes Distress,” Society of Behavioral Science, Accessed October 2, 2022. https://www.sbm.org/healthy-living/what-is-diabetes-distress

[2] “Tips to help with diabetes distress,” Veteran’s Administration News, April 19, 2022.  https://news.va.gov/102441/tips-to-help-with-diabetes-distress/

[3] “What is Diabetes Distress”

[4] “10 Tips for Coping with Diabetes Destress,” CDC, Accessed October 2, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/diabetes-distress/ten-tips-coping-diabetes-distress.html