D-Emotions!
It is not easy being a diabetic.
Most websites will focus on the physical aspects of diabetes. I am encouraging all diabetics to also focus on emotional aspects of diabetes. How you view your diabetic condition can affect your future and your blood glucose levels.
I remember the years before I was officially diagnosed. I treasure those memories. I wouldn’t change a thing. The partying, drinking, eating, burning the candle at both ends and then waking up after 3 hours of sleep to go to school for my degree. Yes, those were some good times! Now my body is talking to me and I have to listen. With time and age it is telling me that it can’t handle that lifestyle anymore. Like most diabetics I have a choice to listen to my body or be in denial.
I honestly believe I was exhibiting diabetic symptoms for at least 1 year before my diagnosis. During that time, I was going to school full time and working the night shift. I thought my tiredness was because of my active schedule. I loss 15 lbs before I was diagnosed through constant urination. It was a mind blowing experience to be told I was diabetic. I argued with my doctor and the nurses. They had to hold my hand down to prick my finger. I left the doctor’s office not knowing what to do and not knowing how to survive. I was so scared because I thought food was going to kill me. You have to regain and maintain a positive attitude if you want to survive diabetes and be healthy. I began to think if it wasn’t for diabetes I would still be leading a unhealthy lifestyle and probably would be worse from it.
I view my diabetic condition as another chapter in the book of life. We all can not stay young and super active. If you were able to have a fun life and consumed what you wanted than treasure those memories. If you need to…. mourn the lost of your old self. Even Batman gets old. The Batman Beyond cartoon series because it takes a look at Batman/Bruce Wayne as a senior citizen. He is not able to fight crime with the same vigor anymore due to old age. He has a new protege to take is place. Bruce does reminiscence about his old crime fighting days.
Scream, holler, cry do what it takes to get rid of the emotions of denial and sorrow. Once this happens it time to learn and accept the “new you.” It is time to sit down and figure out the new body. You have new expectations and limitations to learn with your new body. You can only do this type of learning with a healthy, positive and open mind.
It is down right hard and frustrating to be a diabetic. You may be the heart and soul of the family and now as a diabetic you may need the support. You may question how your job and friends will react to the news of your condition. You may wonder if they will respect your decision to take better care for yourself. You may chose to ignore your condition and hope that it was a wrong diagnosis. You may stay in denial for months or years wondering why your body is not responding the way it use too.
All these thoughts are totally common and are normal. You probably can add some more to the list. Having depression and worries about the future is also normal. Dealing with diabetes 24 hours a day, seven days a week, can certainly take its toll on your emotional well-being. Conversely, stress and negative emotions can take their toll on blood glucose control. There is an intimate relationship between our emotions and our hormonal system. It has been proven that a person with a positive attitude will have better glucose control. So in essence, if you are feeling stressed or negative your glucose levels will possibly be elevated. The researchers found that depression was associated with higher levels of insulin resistance and the onset of diabetes. So having a good attitude and emotional well being is key with diabetes.
We are all emotionally attached to our bodies and we don’t want to see anything go wrong with them. The truth is things small, good, bad or ugly will happen to our bodies. It is how we react to the changes that will make a difference. Please find somebody to talk too about your emotions. Let them out. Don’t keep them bottled inside. Emotions can cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate. This is a lifestyle change that you didn’t ask for and it will be hard. Look for support groups in your area. There are an abundance of diabetic online communities and online blogs. So if you can not get the support in your daily life you can go online. You will definately get support there.
Stop the neglect and start taking care of yourself!
Diabetes is a silence killer. You don’t have to feel bad or sense something is wrong. This is what is so important about diabetes education. People are lulled into a sense of safety in believing they are fine because they feel “all right.” Learn about diabetes. Be your own health advocate. Start treating yourself better. Let family members know you need help dealing with this condition. People like to put their kids first before there own health. This is not wise. The parent is the foundation of the household. If the foundation crumbles what is going to happen with the family? Especially if you have kids this could be a wonderful learning experience about nutrition. Turn your family into a support system for you.
Journal your thoughts is a great way to express yourself. It is a way to sort things out from your mind. I would encourage every Type 2 diabetic to start a blog about their diabetic experience. There are very few Type 2 diabetic bloggers and the ones that are active only know one side of diabetes. There are a lot of Type 2 demographics that are not being represented and should have their voices heard.
