Diabetes Burnout - 5 Ways to Beat It
Updated October 08, 2014.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Diabetes is a chronic condition, and managing it can lead to what's commonly called diabetes burnout. If you are not sure whether you are struggling with diabetes burnout, take this brief questionnaire to find out.
Sound like you? Here are five tips to help you combat diabetes burnout and stay hopeful and healthy.
1. Give Yourself Some Grace
Because diabetes management is ongoing, some days simply will go better than others.
On those days when your glucose levels are up, you forget to check your blood or you crash because you took too much insulin, give yourself some slack. Try to learn from your mistakes instead of beating yourself up.
2. Tell Yourself the Truth
What you tell yourself matters. There is a huge difference between positive and negative self-talk. Someone using negative self-talk might say, “I’ll never be able to manage my diabetes -- I might as well plan on having health problems.” If you tell yourself that enough times you will begin to believe it.
But, someone who uses positive self-talk says, “I didn’t pay enough attention to my portion sizes at dinner; that is why my blood sugar is high. I need to think ahead and keep portion sizes in line with my meal plan or cover with extra insulin if I eat more than I intend.”
Negative self-talk feeds a feeling of helplessness and defeat as a result of the problem. This mindset quickly spirals into discouragement. Positive self-talk approaches the problem as something that can be solved and in turn creates motivation for more improvement.
3. Find Encouraging Support
Too many people try to manage their diabetes in secret. They assume that others don’t want to be involved or bothered. But, in most cases, nothing could be further from the truth.
Family and friends are usually glad to help if you ask for it. Let those closest to you know that you occasionally struggle with feelings of burnout. Ask them if they will check in with you periodically to see how you are doing with your diabetes management. Teach your family to count carbohydrates together at meals and to be mindful of portion sizes. Ask them to tell you if they hear you using negative self-talk.
4. Identify Barriers That May Contribute to Poor Diabetes Management
These might include:
Reach out for help. Whether it be to a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), a mental health professional or your doctor, take the necessary steps to remove known obstacles so that you can better care for your diabetes.
5. Make a Plan and Stick to It
It may surprise you to learn that many people with type 1 haphazardly manage their diabetes on a day-to-day basis. This haphazard approach is one of the biggest contributors to diabetes burnout. Those people need a well thought out plan -- and so do you. The clearer you are about how you plan to manage your diabetes, the easier it becomes to follow that plan as you practice.
Create a daily routine that incorporates the four pillars of diabetes management:
Know when you are going to do these tasks; schedule them as if they were appointments. Think through how you will accomplish these tasks when you have disruptions to your regular schedule such as travel,sickness, meals out, parties, etc.
Sources:
Avoid Diabetes Burnout. Joslin Diabetes Center. Accessed February 1, 2009. http://www.joslin.org/managing_your_diabetes_596.asp
Polonsky, William H. Diabetes Burnout: What to Do When You Can’t Take It Anymore. Alexandria: American Diabetes Association. 1999.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Diabetes is a chronic condition, and managing it can lead to what's commonly called diabetes burnout. If you are not sure whether you are struggling with diabetes burnout, take this brief questionnaire to find out.
Sound like you? Here are five tips to help you combat diabetes burnout and stay hopeful and healthy.
1. Give Yourself Some Grace
Because diabetes management is ongoing, some days simply will go better than others.
On those days when your glucose levels are up, you forget to check your blood or you crash because you took too much insulin, give yourself some slack. Try to learn from your mistakes instead of beating yourself up.
2. Tell Yourself the Truth
What you tell yourself matters. There is a huge difference between positive and negative self-talk. Someone using negative self-talk might say, “I’ll never be able to manage my diabetes -- I might as well plan on having health problems.” If you tell yourself that enough times you will begin to believe it.
But, someone who uses positive self-talk says, “I didn’t pay enough attention to my portion sizes at dinner; that is why my blood sugar is high. I need to think ahead and keep portion sizes in line with my meal plan or cover with extra insulin if I eat more than I intend.”
Negative self-talk feeds a feeling of helplessness and defeat as a result of the problem. This mindset quickly spirals into discouragement. Positive self-talk approaches the problem as something that can be solved and in turn creates motivation for more improvement.
3. Find Encouraging Support
Too many people try to manage their diabetes in secret. They assume that others don’t want to be involved or bothered. But, in most cases, nothing could be further from the truth.
Family and friends are usually glad to help if you ask for it. Let those closest to you know that you occasionally struggle with feelings of burnout. Ask them if they will check in with you periodically to see how you are doing with your diabetes management. Teach your family to count carbohydrates together at meals and to be mindful of portion sizes. Ask them to tell you if they hear you using negative self-talk.
4. Identify Barriers That May Contribute to Poor Diabetes Management
These might include:
- Lack of adequate knowledge to effectively manage your diabetes
- Eating patterns that may be driven more by emotions than hunger
- Difficult relationships that rob you of necessary emotional support
- Inability to manage stressful life situations
- Depression or other emotional concerns
Reach out for help. Whether it be to a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), a mental health professional or your doctor, take the necessary steps to remove known obstacles so that you can better care for your diabetes.
5. Make a Plan and Stick to It
It may surprise you to learn that many people with type 1 haphazardly manage their diabetes on a day-to-day basis. This haphazard approach is one of the biggest contributors to diabetes burnout. Those people need a well thought out plan -- and so do you. The clearer you are about how you plan to manage your diabetes, the easier it becomes to follow that plan as you practice.
Create a daily routine that incorporates the four pillars of diabetes management:
- Blood glucose testing
- Meals/snacks
- Exercise
- Insulin and other medications
Know when you are going to do these tasks; schedule them as if they were appointments. Think through how you will accomplish these tasks when you have disruptions to your regular schedule such as travel,sickness, meals out, parties, etc.
Sources:
Avoid Diabetes Burnout. Joslin Diabetes Center. Accessed February 1, 2009. http://www.joslin.org/managing_your_diabetes_596.asp
Polonsky, William H. Diabetes Burnout: What to Do When You Can’t Take It Anymore. Alexandria: American Diabetes Association. 1999.
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