Diabetes Awareness Week runs from 14th – 20th June 2021 –
It is well known that long term illness can have a negative impact on our mental health. As we hear time and time again through studies, the media and other outlets long term illness can have many different knock on effects. For example, some say people with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes.
You may sometimes feel discouraged, worried, frustrated, or tired of dealing with daily diabetes care, like diabetes is controlling you instead of the other way around. Maybe you’ve been trying hard but not seeing results. Or you’ve developed a health problem related to diabetes in spite of your best efforts.
Those overwhelming feelings, often referred to as diabetes distress, may cause you to slip into unhealthy habits, stop checking your blood sugar, even skip doctor’s appointments. It happens to many – if not most – people with diabetes, often after years of good management. In any 18-month period, 33% to 50% of people with diabetes have diabetes distress.
Diabetes distress can look like depression or anxiety, but it can’t be treated effectively with medicine, like diabetes often can. Instead, these tips can help:
- Pay attention to your feelings.
- Talk with your health care providers about your feelings.
- Talk to your health care providers about negative reactions other people may have about your diabetes.
- Ask if help is available for the costs of diabetes medicines and supplies.
- Talk with your family and friends.
- Allow loved ones to help you take care of your diabetes.
- Talk to other people with diabetes.
- Do one thing at a time.
- Pace yourself.
- Take time to do the things you enjoy!
As with other types of mental health issues, with early intervention recovery is both possible and very likely.
If you feel you may need some support you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.
Useful Sources & Information References:
If you would like to access further information about Diabetes and Mental Health awareness week in more detail please follow the links listed here:
- https://www.diabetes.org.uk/get_involved/diabetes-week
- https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-complications/diabetes-and-mental-health.html
- https://diabetes-resources-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/resources-s3/2021-05/diabetesweek-guide.pdf?1QfSWXzVUjAJJMZQLQsTccx9VabeKF3j=
If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Diabetes: How long term illnesses can affect our mental health’ this is being delivered live on Wednesday 9th June at 12pm, please use the below link to register for this session –
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/980605358032653071
If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.