| Home |
| News / Blog |
| Info |
| Recipes |
| Gallery |
| Copyright |
| Links |
| Contact Us |
| Site Info |
NOTE:
unless noted otherwise, all medical/health advice has been given by non-medically qualified personnel. All advice given on this site is designed to support and not replace any advice given by your personal physician. If you have questions or concerns about individual health matters or the management of your diabetes, please consult your diabetes care team.
unless noted otherwise, all medical/health advice has been given by non-medically qualified personnel. All advice given on this site is designed to support and not replace any advice given by your personal physician. If you have questions or concerns about individual health matters or the management of your diabetes, please consult your diabetes care team.
If you have just been diagnosed with diabetes then you are probably in a
state of emotional turmoil. This is a perfectly natural reaction - diabetes
is a serious condition and it will be with you for the rest of your life.
Accepting that you have diabetes, and learning to live with it, will take
time.
Emotional rollercoaster
Most people go through a whirlwind of emotions when coming to terms with diabetes. If you are riding the emotional rollercoaster then it may help if you can identify your feelings.
Initially, you may be shocked that you have been diagnosed with a serious condition, especially if you had not noticed any obvious symptoms. Alternatively, you might be relieved that you have finally found out what has been causing you to feel so unwell recently. Although it is no one's fault that you have developed diabetes, you might be inclined to feel angry, or even guilty. Many people grieve for their former health and this can lead to feelings of overwhelming sadness or depression. In addition, diagnosis of a chronic (lifelong) disease, such as diabetes, is often accompanied by feelings of anxiety and a fear of what the future may hold.
Recognising your feelings will help you to come to terms with the situation. You are fully entitled to feel the way you do; there is no reason to try to hide or deny your feelings. The emotional response to your diagnosis will gradually become less painful as you get used to the idea of having diabetes. However, you will probably retain some of your feelings towards the condition. This is OK! You do not have to dispense completely with feelings of anger or sadness - but it will help if you can accept them as part of the package.
"Why me?"
Most people go through the "Why me?" stage. It is natural to question why this should happen to you and not someone else. It is equally natural to look for someone to blame. You must remember that no one is to blame for your diabetes.
Separating fact from fiction
In coming to terms with the situation you will need to know exactly what you are dealing with. You might have some preconceived ideas about people with diabetes that are based more on myths than on reality. For example:
What is the harsh reality then?
You have diabetes and it won't go away.
You will need to make some changes to the way that you live your life. You may develop some further health problems as a result of having diabetes.
Accepting the reality of the situation
Facing up to the reality of diabetes takes a good deal of courage, especially since the future is often clouded with uncertainty. You may need to make permanent changes to the way that you live your life and you might feel that your whole identity as a person is being threatened.
Remember:
You may have diabetes but you are still 'you'.
Where do I go from here?
Having come to terms with the fact that you have diabetes and that some aspects of your life may change as a result, one of the most important things for you to do will be to learn about the condition and how it is managed.
First of all you should find out what type of diabetes you have, how it will be treated and who will be providing your diabetes healthcare. Then you will need to learn about your role in the day-to-day management of your diabetes. There is a lot to learn, but you do not have to learn it all at once. The South Sefton Diabetes Group will help to guide you, both here and at our meetings if you choose to attend.
Support
It is very important that you have a source of emotional support to help you deal with the diagnosis and coming changes to your life that diabetes may enforce. When you have an idea of what your particular emotional needs are you should try to build up a network of people who you can turn to in order to fulfil these needs. They may be able to provide a shoulder to cry on, or just be content to sit and listen while you offload your worries and concerns.
Many people benefit from talking to others with diabetes. To find out more about our meetings, contact us
And finally... remember:
Emotional rollercoaster
Most people go through a whirlwind of emotions when coming to terms with diabetes. If you are riding the emotional rollercoaster then it may help if you can identify your feelings.
Initially, you may be shocked that you have been diagnosed with a serious condition, especially if you had not noticed any obvious symptoms. Alternatively, you might be relieved that you have finally found out what has been causing you to feel so unwell recently. Although it is no one's fault that you have developed diabetes, you might be inclined to feel angry, or even guilty. Many people grieve for their former health and this can lead to feelings of overwhelming sadness or depression. In addition, diagnosis of a chronic (lifelong) disease, such as diabetes, is often accompanied by feelings of anxiety and a fear of what the future may hold.
Recognising your feelings will help you to come to terms with the situation. You are fully entitled to feel the way you do; there is no reason to try to hide or deny your feelings. The emotional response to your diagnosis will gradually become less painful as you get used to the idea of having diabetes. However, you will probably retain some of your feelings towards the condition. This is OK! You do not have to dispense completely with feelings of anger or sadness - but it will help if you can accept them as part of the package.
"Why me?"
Most people go through the "Why me?" stage. It is natural to question why this should happen to you and not someone else. It is equally natural to look for someone to blame. You must remember that no one is to blame for your diabetes.
Separating fact from fiction
In coming to terms with the situation you will need to know exactly what you are dealing with. You might have some preconceived ideas about people with diabetes that are based more on myths than on reality. For example:
- "They" must have something wrong with their blood
- "They" are always sick
- "They" can't lead a normal life
- "They" can't do anything energetic
- "They" have to eat special 'diabetic' foods
- "They" can't eat chocolate or anything sweet
- "It" must be bad if "they" have injections
- Diabetes results in blindness
- Diabetes causes kidney failure
- Diabetes results in gangrene and amputation of the legs
What is the harsh reality then?
You have diabetes and it won't go away.
You will need to make some changes to the way that you live your life. You may develop some further health problems as a result of having diabetes.
Accepting the reality of the situation
Facing up to the reality of diabetes takes a good deal of courage, especially since the future is often clouded with uncertainty. You may need to make permanent changes to the way that you live your life and you might feel that your whole identity as a person is being threatened.
Remember:
You may have diabetes but you are still 'you'.
Where do I go from here?
Having come to terms with the fact that you have diabetes and that some aspects of your life may change as a result, one of the most important things for you to do will be to learn about the condition and how it is managed.
First of all you should find out what type of diabetes you have, how it will be treated and who will be providing your diabetes healthcare. Then you will need to learn about your role in the day-to-day management of your diabetes. There is a lot to learn, but you do not have to learn it all at once. The South Sefton Diabetes Group will help to guide you, both here and at our meetings if you choose to attend.
Support
It is very important that you have a source of emotional support to help you deal with the diagnosis and coming changes to your life that diabetes may enforce. When you have an idea of what your particular emotional needs are you should try to build up a network of people who you can turn to in order to fulfil these needs. They may be able to provide a shoulder to cry on, or just be content to sit and listen while you offload your worries and concerns.
Many people benefit from talking to others with diabetes. To find out more about our meetings, contact us
And finally... remember:
Diabetes may be for life but it does NOT mean that it is
a life sentence.
- It is up to you whether you make it one or not!
- It is up to you whether you make it one or not!
