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Diabetes: Coping with emotional challenges

Diabetes is more than a physical disease. Whether you're newly diagnosed or you've had diabetes for a while, it's sometimes a stressful condition that can mess with your mental health. The good news? You have the power to live well with diabetes, and managing the emotional impact of your disease may help you do that.

Here are some challenges people often experience after a diabetes diagnosis, along with tips to help you feel more in control.

Anger

Anger can be a normal reaction when you learn you have a chronic illness. You might ask, "Why me?" You might feel anger at your disease or yourself. You might lash out at the people around you. Anger can also be a response to fear you might be feeling about diabetes. If your anger gets out of control, it can lead to problems like depression.

How to cope with anger

You can learn to manage anger in healthy ways. When you feel your temper building, step away from the situation that angered you. To calm yourself, take a walk or a few deep breaths. Try to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

Denial

Many people downplay their diabetes at first. For example, they may say it isn't a big deal. They might even think their diagnosis was a mistake. These feelings may help you deal with the shock of your diagnosis. But you have to move past denial to start getting healthier.

How to cope with denial

Having a diabetes treatment plan is an important step in accepting your new normal. Work with your diabetes care team to get started. Ask your family and friends to help you take diabetes seriously. Whether it's eating healthier as a family or learning about diabetes together, you may need their support.

Anxiety

Everyone worries about things sometimes. But excessive worries and fears are more common in people with diabetes. Anxiety often is the result of too much stress, which can affect your blood sugar levels and make it harder to manage your diabetes.

How to cope with anxiety

There are many ways to manage anxiety, including exercising and making time in your day for activities that you enjoy. Confiding in a good listener, such as a friend or loved one, may help too. But if you're overwhelmed, tell your doctor. Some people may need counseling or medications to treat their anxiety.

Depression

Compared with people without diabetes, those who have diabetes are up to three times more likely to have depression. Everyone feels down in the dumps at times. But depression can make you feel sad, worthless or empty most of the time, and you might lose interest in your usual activities.

How to cope with depression

If you think you might have depression, tell your doctor right away. Depression is a serious illness, but treatment, such as counseling or medication, can help.

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