The feelings you go through as you manage your diabetes are typically depressing ones. However, these unfavorable emotions could be advantageous. Denial, for instance, may be one of nature’s strategies for allowing the news of diabetes to sink in gradually.

If you are able to transform your rage into motivational energy, you can manage your diabetes.

Understanding your emotions and not trying to ignore or reject them is the key to managing your emotions. The first step in managing your emotions is learning to recognize your feelings and how they affect your behavior.

Denial

Denial need not always be a bad thing. You may find it useful in adjusting to having diabetes. You can more effectively handle the shock of taking in all of the new knowledge by putting your emotions on hold. You can prevent feeling excessively irritated, angry, or depressed while you learn about diabetes and start taking care of yourself by pretending you don’t have diabetes or that diabetes isn’t that big of a concern.

Denial, however, eventually stops being advantageous or protecting. In actuality, it can be the exact reverse. People who keep downplaying the severity of their diabetes are less likely to take proactive measures to control their blood glucose levels and eventually avoid problems.

Signs of Denial

• Your initial response after learning you have diabetes was to try to ignore it or wish it away.
• You promise yourself that you’ll take care of your diabetes later.
• You persuade yourself that the diabetes care professionals are incompetent.

Speak to your partner, your close friends, your diabetes care provider, or an educator if you feel overburdened. Going one step at a time might be helpful. Try not to make too many changes at once. Select a meaningful area for you and begin there.

Keep in mind that every step you take in the right way is significant.

You might want to think about joining a support group, participating in an online chat room or message board, or going to counseling. Knowing that others share many of your problems and may have suggestions for coping mechanisms with diabetes can be comforting.

Anger

It’s likely that controlling your diabetes will make you feel angry and frustrated. When you are initially diagnosed, you could feel very upset, and after having diabetes for a while, you might feel pretty frustrated. Your feelings are typical responses to coping with a challenging situation. It’s reasonable to be irate over something you believe you have no control over. It can be challenging to control blood glucose levels.

Common Anger Feelings

• You might think that life has been unjust to you.
• When it seems like all of your hard work is going to waste, you could become frustrated.
• It’s possible that your anger coexists with other emotions like denial, melancholy, or anxiety.
• You can experience anger anytime you consider having diabetes or when faced with some of the issues it causes.
• You could discover that, under circumstances unrelated to diabetes, you get angry more easily. It seems as though you are fighting diabetes with all of your might and coping mechanisms. There isn’t much left to deal with the additional pressures and stresses of life.

Recognizing the emotions, realizing that they are normal, and finding positive outlets for your energy are all effective methods to deal with rage and other negative emotions.

Advice for Controlling Anger

• Start recording your angry outbursts and the things that make you furious.
• If at all feasible, keep a notebook or notes.
• Review your observations when a few days or perhaps weeks have passed. Look for any patterns and try to identify them.
• Check to see if there are any specific situations or people that aggravate you. 
• Do you frequently become angry after being stuck in traffic? 
• Do you experience it when others begin to inquire about your diabetes?

Sometimes merely being aware of the triggers is insufficient. You might also want to stay away from things that irritate you. Don’t wait until you become enraged to act out if your partner keeps asking you about your blood sugar and you find yourself getting hot under the collar every time. Tell them why it upsets you when you’re calm. Tell your partner how he or she can be of assistance.

You can either let anger consume you and make your life miserable or you may view it as untapped energy. Put your energy to good use by taking action. Your rage can be a sign that it’s time to make changes in your life.

Find out more about diabetes. Learn how to control your anger so that you don’t hurt yourself or other people. Take a stroll, count 1 to 10, or leave the situation, as examples. Many patients discover that beginning and continuing professional counseling sessions can be beneficial while they manage their diabetes.

Coming to Terms with Diabetes

Because you haven’t fully accepted your diabetes, you may find that you are feeling furious. Consider joining a support group, getting in touch with others, or getting professional counseling if this is the case.

Stress

As with many chronic diseases, stress has both positive and negative effects on those who have diabetes. Stress can be a factor in diabetes symptoms and can also be brought on by diabetes.

Diabetes and Stress

Diabetes is not directly brought on by stress. However, it can help those who are already moving in that direction move a little faster. You may have heard tales of people whose diabetes developed following a traumatic event, like a serious sickness or a car accident.

In those with type 1 diabetes, the immune system accidentally kills the pancreatic cells that make insulin. Usually, it takes months or even years for this process to damage enough cells to cause diabetes.

The amount of insulin produced by a person who is developing type 1 diabetes decreases over time. The demand for insulin rises during stressful situations. Therefore, a stressful situation may cause the body to create more insulin than it can handle.

The body no longer responds to insulin in type 2 diabetes. The pancreas produces less and less insulin as a result of this. The addition of hormones produced by stress, which increase insulin resistance, may cause the early stages of diabetes.

Additionally, stress might affect how much glucose is in your blood. Hormones are released by your body to get ready for stress. Ketone levels may increase or fluctuate as a result. Levels of blood glucose and ketones may increase under short-term, repeated stress can “bounce” quite a bit. Acute stressors can really cause some people to have low blood sugar levels.

Depression

Whether or not they have diabetes, everyone experiences depressive mood swings, low energy levels, and a lack of interest in the world around them. When these emotions persist for an extended amount of time, interfere with your quality of life, or make it difficult for you to manage your diabetes, depression may be present. In the event that you believe you may be depressed, get help right immediately. Speak with your doctor or request a referral to a mental health professional.

Anxiety

Everybody has occasional feelings of anxiety or trepidation, especially under pressure. This is typical and frequently even beneficial. However, you may have a more serious issue known as an anxiety disorder if you discover that you feel worried or anxious in circumstances that are not unpleasant to most people or if your anxiety is so strong and pervasive that it interferes with day-to-day functioning.

Abuse of alcohol

It is typically safe to sometimes consume alcohol if you have diabetes and your blood glucose levels are within the normal range. However, if you consume too much alcohol or find it difficult to regulate your intake, you may have an alcohol abuse problem.

Alcohol misuse poses an even greater risk to diabetics. Alcohol abuse can exacerbate a number of diabetes symptoms, including nerve damage, eye issues, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and heart disease. Abusing alcohol over a long period of time can make it difficult to manage your diabetes.

Although it can be very challenging, stopping alcohol consumption is essential for many reasons, including your diabetes management. There is assistance available if you drink too much or suspect that you might. Speak with your healthcare professional or contact the AA chapter in your area (AA). Your medical team can assist you in locating the care you require to get started on the road to recovery.

Alcoholism and Liver Health

Abuse of alcohol is particularly harmful to the liver, which is where your body stores glucose. Your blood glucose levels may become unpredictable and you are more likely to experience hypoglycemia if alcohol causes liver damage.

One of the best things you can do for yourself, though it’s not always simple, is to learn to manage your emotions. This could imply various things to various people. Being more forceful with family members may prove beneficial for certain people. Yoga or gradual muscle relaxation may provide relief for another individual. You’ll discover advice on how to manage your emotions well in this area.

Combating Stress

Your degree of stress is influenced by both you and your surroundings. Each of us has our own definition of what constitutes a difficult scenario and our coping mechanisms.

Situations, both good and bad, can be stressful. Almost invariably, change is.

Whether we think it to be beneficial or detrimental, as well as other events in our life, determine how stressful we perceive it to be. One day a situation may be difficult, but the next it may not be.

How do you behave under pressure?

• Do you become quickly enraged and vent your frustration on others?
• Do you get depressed or withdrawn easily?
• Do you experience emptiness or passivity?

• Do you want more attention from those close to you or do you reject their assistance?
• Are you too harsh with yourself?

Every person has a unique style of handling stress. Most of the time, we act in familiar ways. Some of these tactics are effective, while others make us feel uptight, worn out, furious, or ill. Some behaviors, such as smoking, binge drinking, and drug use, contribute to other issues. After a stressful experience, other methods of stress management can help us feel more in control, at ease, and less tense.

Is Your Plan Effective?

You can tell if a tactic is successful by asking yourself, “Did it work? Did I feel better right away and later on? Is it wise to employ this tactic going forward?”

How to Deal with Stress

• When something bothers you, find a conversation partner and listener.
• Be a part of a support group. A group in your region might be recommended by your diabetes educator.
• Create a networking or discussion group around any subject or activity that interests you.
• Enroll in a dance class, pick up a new sport or pastime, or learn a musical instrument.
• Get moving—join a fitness club, enroll in an aerobics class, or simply go for a daily stroll.
• Volunteer your time.
• Enroll in a course that interests you.
• Choose an activity that helps you unwind, such as reading a book, taking a bubble bath, getting a massage, or watching a movie.

• Choose whether spending time alone or with friends will replenish you more.
• Pray or reflect. People with diabetes can get assistance from several church organizations.
• Perform a calming activity.
• Go on a trip or even just a short getaway.
• Hire a babysitter so you may spend more time with your spouse or alone.

Recognize that you have the freedom to choose how you want to live your life. Take it slow. Make it a point to recognize and foresee potential stresses, then prepare solutions in advance. Traffic jams, an irate employer, or a wailing baby may not be under your control, but you do have some influence over how you respond to them.

A technique called progressive muscle relaxation can be used to reduce tension. You can “go away” from your current situation by breathing, exhaling, and relaxing particular muscles in a certain order. The next time you are tense, give it a try.

Progressively relaxing the muscles

• Close your eyes and take several deep, steady breaths.
• Begin with the facial muscles and work your way down to your toes and feet.
• Inhale. Elevate your brows. tighten them. Hold for three counts. Keep your brows relaxed. Exhale.
• Inhale. Widen your eyes and mouth. Next, tightly shut your mouth and eyes.
• Squeeze. Hold for three counts. Relax your mouth and eyes. Exhale.

• Inhale. Bite firmly with your teeth. Hold for three counts. Let your jaw drop. Exhale.
• Inhale. Elevate your shoulders. Hold for three counts. Let your shoulders drop. Exhale.
• Inhale. All of your arm muscles should be tensed. Hold for three counts. Let your arms go. Exhale.
• Inhale. All of the abdominal and chest muscles should be tensed. Hold for three counts. Relax your abdomen and chest. Exhale.
• Inhale. Your legs’ muscles should all be tensed. Hold for three counts. Legs at ease. Exhale.
• Inhale. Your feet’s muscles should be tense. Indent your toes. Hold for three counts. Let your feet go. Exhale.
• Inhale. Any leftover tension in your body should be exhaled. Inhale vitality. Take a few more long, deep breaths. Enjoy your comfortable state.
• Open your eyes gradually.

Increasing Self-Esteem

Having a good dosage of self-esteem makes it much simpler to deal with life’s obstacles. Your performance in work, study, and interpersonal connections all improve. Furthermore, when you feel good about yourself, you are more likely to pursue your goals in life.

Unfortunately, having diabetes can erode your sense of worth. Some diabetics hold themselves responsible for their condition or its repercussions.

People occasionally have lower self-esteem when they experience differences. Whether you are a youngster, a teenager, or an adult, this can occur. Some even question whether developing diabetes is some sort of punishment.

The messages we received as children—both positive and negative—as well as the messages we tell ourselves as adults—are major contributors to how we feel about our worth. Giving oneself validating and uplifting words is one method to increase your sense of worth. Even if no one else does, acknowledge your strengths and give yourself a break.

Advice on Increasing Self-Esteem

• Make a list of all your strengths and admirable traits while you’re feeling confident in yourself. Include activities that you are particularly skilled at.
• Add praises that you receive to the list.
• If you’re having problems thinking of things to add on the list, consult your surroundings.
• They adore and esteem you. Frequently, your friends and family will see your strengths before you do.

• Pull out the list on days when you are feeling sad and tell yourself all the wonderful things you are.

The way you manage your diabetes may be influenced by how you feel about yourself. Do you think you should put in the time, money, and effort necessary to take care of your diabetes? How do you value yourself? Others will respect your needs if you go about, it in a decision-making manner. Do your blood glucose test now if you need to. Do not be reluctant to ask others to wait while you check something.

Be adamant

Learning to be assertive is one way you may take control of your diabetes. The majority of disagreements result from communication breakdowns rather than differences in ideas.

Talking about your diet or how much time you need to spend managing your diabetes may be challenging if you lack self-confidence. It’s possible that you don’t want your needs to obstruct those of those around you.

When you communicate assertively, your demands and the needs of the other person are treated with respect and equal importance. A lot of assertive remarks start with “I.” This comment is more useful than blaming or aggressive words (“You always attempt to undermine everything I do”) or reacting passively and being internally resentful, for instance, “I find it helpful when you don’t keep chips in the house.”

Advice for Being Aggressive

• Be able to refuse. “I respect myself enough to act in my own best self-interest, and I respect you enough to know that you will understand,” you can tell yourself and others with a simple “no, thank you.”
• Exercise politeness. Effective and aggressive communication is built on courtesy. It implies that you will prioritize your needs over those of others and that none will suffer at the expense of the other.
• Be up front. Just as crucial as knowing when to say “no” is being direct while still being polite.
• Provide for your own needs. An urgent scenario when you need to be assertive is hypoglycemia. Avoid delaying therapy because you’re worried about upsetting the person you’re speaking to.
• Be stern. Being firm with both yourself and other people is crucial. Make a plan for how you will respond to different circumstances. Explain your choice to people directly if you are under pressure.
• Retain your dignity. Being forceful will be simpler if you appreciate yourself.

Making Wise Decisions

Diabetes is a disease that is primarily self-managed. You take care of practically all of your own needs, unlike with more severe conditions.

You are in control. How much or how little you take care of your diabetes is entirely up to you. You have the full right to make these judgments since you stand to gain from the outcomes.

Many aspects of our lives are not decisions we make on our own. The majority of people would not wish to have diabetes. Although having diabetes is something you cannot alter, you can choose how to manage it and how you feel about it. No matter how limited you might feel, you can frequently choose differently.

Freedom also comes with responsibilities. Freedom and accountability are actually two sides of the same coin. You bear a significant degree of responsibility for your own health and quality of life since the decisions you make have an impact on your outcomes. It might feel too much. You can take steps to make it easier for you to take on this much responsibility.

Advice for Making Smart Decisions

• Discover as much as you can about diabetes. The better informed you are, the better you can assess the advantages and disadvantages of the decisions you must make.
• Request a recommendation from your doctor for a local diabetes education program.
• Create a diabetes management strategy with the help of your healthcare professional that takes into account your objectives and capabilities. Be truthful about your abilities and limitations. Keep in mind that you are the one with diabetes who has to deal with it every day. When it comes to you and your life, you are the expert.
• Be truthful to yourself. It could be tempting to delegate decision-making to your medical team or to hold those close to you accountable for your results. But if we don’t take ownership of our actions, we end up in a victim role.

Taking ownership of our decisions and our life gives us power. You gain power and control over your diabetes and your life by accepting responsibility for controlling it.

There are some questions you may ask yourself if you are having trouble with this degree of responsibility in an effort to learn more about why you feel this way.

Power and responsibility issues

• What prevents me from taking ownership of my diabetes?
• What negative effects result from feeling pressured to act in a certain way?
• What advantages come from feeling under control with diabetes?

• What drawbacks result from taking ownership of diabetes management?
• What advantages come from taking ownership of diabetes care?
• What can you do to take control of your diabetes care this week?

When you need assistance, ask for it

Anyone might become upset when they are trying to keep up with the constant demands of living with diabetes. When you do everything, you can to fulfill your end of the contract and your blood glucose levels don’t reflect your efforts, it’s easy to feel deceived. Your emotions can change as a result of significant fluctuations in blood glucose.

Think about conducting some investigative testing if you have a suspicion that this is taking place. Ask your medical provider for advice on additional diabetes management options if your mood swings are caused by changes in blood glucose levels.

Inform your loved ones who want to assist you of your feelings. Find a psychologist or other mental health counselor by asking for a recommendation if you need extra assistance managing mood swings. With diabetes, you don’t have to suffer in silence. You only need to ask for the assistance and support that are available.