Shifa Fathima
Diabetes is a difficult to manage and a highly demanding health condition. The regular and ongoing demands of this disease coupled with diabetes complications, emergencies, health problems, and changes in a treatment plan can lead to several emotions. It is this emotional burden of suffering from diabetes and managing it that often causes diabetes distress.
Diabetes distress is a range of emotions that diabetics have in response to living with and managing the condition. It is a normal reaction to living with diabetes - a common health issue that affects 1/3rd to almost one-half of adolescents. The nature of the disease is such that it can affect not only the diabetic but also their family members.
As such, feeling frustrated with the burden of managing diabetes is one of the most common diabetes distress symptoms. Apart from this, feeling discouraged or defeated and worrying about the complication progressing or getting severely low are also signs of diabetic distress.
It is essential to take care of diabetes distress symptoms as they start appearing so that the condition does not progress further and become worse.
Some of the most common causes of diabetes distress include:
Most diabetics experience diabetes-related distress due to the amount of hands-on management required by the condition. This includes ongoing obligations of physical activity, diet, medicine, and blood glucose monitoring.
Crucial though less frequently acknowledged stresses for diabetics center around worries of the future, fear of complications, difficulties dealing with potentially intrusive family members and friends, concerns about keeping up with treatment options, new medicines, and associated recommendations.
People with diabetes can feel overwhelmed because of the endless self-management demands of the condition. This can further lead to fatigue, high distress levels, anger, frustration, feelings of depression, and complete burnout. Though there is no proper or wrong way to feel with diabetes, some symptoms can show that things are out of control and lead to diabetic distress.
Also know about the relation between exercise & diabetes.
Coping up with diabetes distress syndrome can be easy if you follow the tips below:
Also read about the different types of diabetes.
Suffering from diabetes agony for a long time can cause complete burnout. Therefore, identify the signs of this condition early on and access the right kind of diabetes distress treatment.
Diabetes distress and burnout are co-related. If the former is left untreated for a long time, it can lead to diabetes distress and burnout where a person does not feel like doing anything about their diabetes management. So, take care of your diabetes distress syndrome as soon as you identify its symptoms. Take instant action for diabetes distress treatment and stay in constant touch with healthcare providers, family, and friends.
According to 50 studies conducted worldwide, 1 in 4 individuals with type 1 diabetes and 1 in 5 individuals with type 2 diabetes suffer from diabetes distress. This is because they constantly worry about diabetes complications and management.
The blood sugar levels in a diabetic go high when there’s insufficient insulin or when the insulin does not work effectively. Insulin transports blood glucose into the cells, providing us with the energy we need to do things. When insulin does not work effectively or when there’s not sufficient insulin in the blood, blood glucose does not get to the cells. Therefore we do not get the energy we need to carry on with regular activities. That’s the reason why diabetics feel tired and sleepy all the time.
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