Dealing with Diabetes Can be Stressful
- Do you feel alone with your Diabetes?
- Do you struggle with your Diabetes self-care?
- Do find yourself frustrated with your Diabetes management?
- Do you feel depressed?
Diabetes can be a drag! If you feel that way, you are not alone. There are, however, some things you can do to help manage the stress around it.
Separate Yourself from Your Disease
Diabetes is only one of many aspects of you. You may feel more empowered if you say, “I have Diabetes” rather than saying “I suffer from Diabetes” or “I am a Diabetic.”
Caring for Your Emotions
Some people blame or punish themselves for struggling to manage their health. Sometimes blame is conscious, and sometimes it shows up in unconscious ways, such as anger, depression, or poor self-care.
Getting support is critical to helping you stop the blame game!
Talk to People who Can Listen
Some people are better than others at being supportive. Friends or family who have a hard time hearing about your struggles may try to rush you through the normal, appropriate, and sometimes recurring feelings you may experience.
Adjusting to a chronic illness takes time and feelings can pop up again when we least expect them, especially during times of change. Surrounding yourself with people who can give you that support can help.
How can professional counseling Help?
You may find that you need a great deal of support after your initial diagnosis, big life changes, or other things not necessarily Diabetes-related. Friends and family can be a good source for that support, yet you may find that you need more support than you can get from your existing circle.
If you find that’s the case for you, consider getting professional help. Therapy is a place where it gets to be about you. You deserve that added support.
Cori Newlander, M.A., LMFT
Cori Newlander is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been working with issues of grief, loss, and trauma for over 20 years. One of her key areas of focus is helping others deal with the emotions that can arise when living with Diabetes or other chronic illnesses.
Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1975, Cori has personal and professional understanding of the issues involved in the initial adjustment stages as well as the ongoing, day-to-day experience of adapting to the challenges of living with a chronic illness.
While members of the LGBT community can have the same power struggles in relationships that heterosexual couples have, there are some unique challenges that can arise. When looking for a couples therapist, it is important to find someone who is familiar with the distinct differences, and how they can affect emotional intimacy.
One of the focuses of my practice is working with the LGBT community, so I am very familiar with the unique issues that face both individuals and couples.