Diabetes and Emotions

Medicine Wheel:  Emotions and Diabetes

• Accepting diabetes is not easy.  Accepting that you have both diabetes and cancer is even harder.
• Some saying accepting that they had cancer was easier than realizing they had diabetes, even though it is so common within American Indian and Alaska Native communities
• When people are first diagnosed with diabetes, they may have various stages of adjustment. These stages can be:
  • Denial
  • Shock
  • Anger
  • Fear
  • Depression or sadness
  • Hopelessness
• And for some, acceptance of their diabetes may happen only after there is a complication

It's important to tell your health care provider:

• That you are having a hard time accepting the idea that you have diabetes (or cancer, or diabetes and cancer, or diabetes and another chronic disease)
• That you are depressed, angry, scared or stressed
• Or however you are feeling
• Sharing these feelings can be the first step to:
  • Feeling better
  • Decreasing the effect of these emotions on your blood sugar

Diabetes and body image

• If you are already coping with the complications of diabetes, you may have to:
  • Use a wheelchair
  • Wear orthopedic shoes
  • Experience worsening eyesight
  • Start kidney dialysis
  • Have an amputation
• These are a few examples of how diabetes can affect your life and your image of yourself
• These physical changes also can affect your self-image and how you feel about yourself
• It is important to tell your health care provider about how you are making these physical adjustments - or if you need some help
• It also is important to share how you feel about having to make these changes in your life
• If these emotions are keeping you from:
  • Doing your work
  • Having good family interactions
  • Enjoying your family, your usual activities and hobbies
  • Taking good care of yourself
  • Tell your health care provider
• Your Healthcare Provider may recommend that you talk to a counselor about your feelings and consider options to help you feel better