DSMA August Blog Carnival

August DSMA Blog Carnival

Diabetes is a condition that affects more than just our bodies, it influences our emotions as well.  It can sometimes feel harder to cope with the emotional aspects of diabetes than the physical demands. 

What can a parent of a child with diabetes, or a person with diabetes, do to help reduce the emotional impact of caring for diabetes?

 “This post is my August entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetescaf.org/2013/08/august-dsma-blog-carnival-3/“

As a person with diabetes what do I do to reduce the emotional impact of caring for diabetes?

Wow, that’s a hard one. Couldn't make it an easy one this month could they? :)

Well, honestly I’m still trying to figure this one out. I really don’t think I even realized what an emotional impact there was until I got on my pump and starting testing on average of 10 times a day. When I was only testing maybe 4 times a day I didn't realized what my body was doing or how my BG looked so I really didn't know and because my BG was higher all of the time I was accustom to feeling like crud more I guess. Of course when I was diagnosed and for a while after diagnosis it was all emotional, but only recently have I been dealing with this side of the disease again. Partly because it’s become more real and I guess after almost 5 years, (yes it took that long, not sure why!), I finally realized that it’s not going away, I’m stuck with it.

So how do I deal with the emotional impact of caring for the “D”? I rely on support. Support from my husband, support from blogging and the DOC, support from my CDE,  support in my relationship with God. None of that makes it any less emotional, but I’m learning to allow myself to be emotional, but trying not to dwell on it. I don’t want to bottle it all up, and I do allow myself the occasional outburst and break downs, but learning to let it out in a healthy way, is not easy.                                       

 As well as learning who I can talk to about it without feeling judged and who not to talk to about it. I cannot get mad at people who don’t understand and who don’t have any desire to understand. I think that is a huge thing, because I think that we let other people’s responses get to us, and that affects how we feel about ourselves and our management.

  I’m also learning when to take a step back and not push myself too hard. Somehow I tend to have one of the busiest schedules out of anyone I know. Being an introvert this tends to make things harder. Therefore I have to take a step back and say no sometimes, and sometimes I have to stress no with a big fat NO if I’m feeling like I need to get some “me” time in. If I don’t allow myself some “me” time then that just adds to the emotional stress.

 This goes for sleep as well. I have to make sure I get enough sleep otherwise that can cause my BG to start to go wack, on top of just the normal stress of getting overly emotional from lack of sleep.

 I’ve found that when traveling, lists are a must, as well as double checking if not triple checking and not packing in a rush. On the last trip out of town I forgot several things that just make this “D” life easier. Neither were things that I had to rush to the nearest pharmacy for or got sick without, but I did have an emotional break down the first night because of just the stress.

So recap……….

Relying on support of those I trust.

Taking out time for myself and not pushing myself too much with the business of life.

SLEEP!

Lists for traveling as well as not rushing and being sure that I’m tripling checking that I have everything I need. (Also asking hubby if he can think of anything I may have forgotten is always a good idea)

These are the ways and things I do to the best of my ability to alleviate the emotional toll of the daily “D” life.