Coping With Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease that can be controlled, but not cured. Doctors say one of the hardest parts of dealing with diabetes is the toll the disease takes on a person mentally. Many people either deny they have it or get angry or depressed about it. While these feelings are normal, experts say these feelings should not prevent proper treatment and behavior.
Here are ways experts suggest diabetics should cope with their swirling emotions:







DENIAL
Almost everybody goes through denial when he or she is first diagnosed with diabetes. The trouble comes when you continue to deny your diabetes. Continued denial keeps you from learning what you need to know to stay healthy. If you think or say some of these phrases, you may be denying some part of your diabetes care:
"One bite won`t hurt."
"This sore will heal by itself."
"I`ll go to the doctor later."
"I don`t have time to do it."
"My diabetes isn`t serious."
"I only take one pill, not shots."
"My insurance doesn`t cover that."

Here are ways to break away from denial:
* Write down your diabetes care plan and your health goals. Know why each part of your plan is important. Accept that it will take time to reach your goals.
* Talk to your diabetes educator about your diabetes care plan. Together, you may be able to device a better plan.
* Tell your friends and family how you take care of your diabetes. Tell them how they can help you.






Anger
Anger is a powerful emotion. If you don`t use anger, it will use you. To gain control over your anger, learn more about it. Start an anger diary. Write down when you felt angry, where you were, who you were with, why you felt angry,and what you did. After a few weeks, read it. Try to understand your anger. What are you angry about? Usually under your anger are hurt feelings.
The better you understand your anger, the better you will be able to control it. How you use the energy of your anger is up to you. Plan to use your anger in a way that helps you next time.

Here are ways to control your anger:
* DEFUSE IT. Talk slowly, take deep breaths, get a drink of water, sit down, lean back, keep your hands down at your side.
* LET IT OUT. Do a physical activity like jogging or raking leaves. Cry over a sad movie. On a piece of paper, write what you feel like saying or shouting.
* MAKE IT TRIVIAL. Ask yourself just how important it is. Some things are just to trivial to be worth your anger.
* LAUGH AT IT. Find something funny about it. Sometimes laughter can push out anger.
* LET IT GIVE YOU STRENGTH. Anger can give you the courage to speak up for yourself or act to protect someone else.






DEPRESSION
Feeling down occasionally is normal. But feeling really sad and hopeless for two weeks or more might be a sign of serious depression.

You may be depressed if:
* You no longer take interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy doing.
* You have trouble falling asleep, wake up often during the night, or want to sleep more than usual.
* You wake up earlier than usual and cannot get back to sleep.
* You eat more or less than you used to.
* You quickly gain or lose weight.
* You have trouble concentrating. Other thoughts or feelings distract you.
* You have no energy. You feel tired all the time.
* You are so nervous or anxious, you can`t sit still.
* You are less interested in sex.
* You cry often.
* You feel you never do anything right and are a burden to others.
* You feel sad or worse in the morning than you do the rest of the day.
* You feel you want to die or are thinking about ways to hurt yourself.

If you have three or more of these signs and have been feeling bad for two weeks or more, get help. Talk to your first. There may be a physical cause for your depression.





ACCEPTANCE
Once you have made it through any denial, anger, or depression, you are on your way to accepting your diabetes. Accepting your diabetes is the way to cope with it.

Accept that diabetes care is up to you. You are the one who decides what to eat, how much to exercise, and when to check your blood glucose. Accepts this for what it is-control. You are in control.

Learn as much about diabetes as you can. Read. Asks questions. Take diabetes education classes. go to diabetes support groups.

Share what you have learned with family and friends. The more they know, the better they will be able to help you. Tell them how you feel about diabetes.

Keep active in your hobbies, activities and sports. You`ll show everyone, including yourself, that you`re still the same person. You can still have lots of fun.

Think positive. Thinking good thoughts about yourself and about things in your life can make your life happier. Maybe even longer. Thinking too much about things you don`t like or that make you angry or sad can only make living with complications harder for you and your loved ones.