Emotional Health | Page 3 of 4

When diabetes is too hard for a kid to handle

When Type 1 Diabetes is Too Much for a Child to Bear

The psychologist continued to report what Finn had told her as he leaned against me with his face buried against my shoulder. She had asked him, Are you thinking of hurting yourself? (He said yes.) How? (He reported that he wanted to bash his head in with a baseball bat.) How likely are you to do it, on a scale from zero/not really going to, to ten/absolutely certain? (He’d rated the likelihood a seven.) I was floored. But I was not horrified, because I didn’t believe he could really be thinking any of those things.

My Type 1 Diabetes is Not My Fault

In addition to telling the world that autoimmune conditions are a result of self-loathing (as a person with three autoimmune conditions, I clearly despise myself!), Sarah Wilson also writes about a magical talent she has. So magical, that I am unable to understand why she is not teaching at Hogwarts.

Why You Shouldn’t Be Ashamed of Diabetes

When I speak to health care professionals about psychological care for people with diabetes, I often point out that guilt is different than shame. Guilt means we think we have done something wrong. We can deal with that, we can remedy our behavior. But shame means we think something is wrong with us, that we are broken or unworthy. That belief is much harder to address.

5 Reasons Why People with Diabetes Aren’t Managing Well

If you took a survey of people with Type 1 diabetes and asked them to tell you what's frustrating about living with diabetes, many would answer that the disease's unpredictability drives them crazy. What worked perfectly yesterday doesn't work today. But sometimes it's emotional struggles that lead to poor diabetes management. Understanding why a person isn’t checking blood glucose or taking their medication is the an important step, and what motivates a person to do better depends on the reason for the lapse in diabetes management.

My Six Year Old Didn’t Sign Up for Type 1 Diabetes

My husband and I work hard to manage our son’s condition so he feels good, learns the ropes and has a long, healthy, happy life. But also so diabetes isn’t the focus of his world—there’s plenty more for a first-grader to think about. Still, that weekend a nasty cold, a clog in his insulin pump, and other factors led to a series of high blood sugars and, consequently, vomiting and dehydration. We were shades away from hospitalization.

Food, Guilt and Diabetes

Personally, I do experience guilt about my diabetes, but have learned to better manage my thoughts and therefore control my mood. I do not think guilt can be prevented, but I think it can be reduced to a manageable level where it is productive rather than destructive.

7 Ways to Cope with Diabetes Burnout

You can’t hire a babysitter for your diabetes and have a romantic dinner out. You can’t take a vacation to a tropical island and leave diabetes at home (and if you’re anything like me, diabetes and tropical drinks are a recipe for disaster to begin with).

How Does Your Diabetes Educator Make You Feel?

Nearly every interaction I’ve had with a certified diabetes educator (CDE) has left me feeling judged and condescended to, no matter how well my actual diabetes care was going at the time.

The Two Words Patients Most Want to Hear

I have a confession to make. Sometimes I am not completely honest with my health care professionals. I am not proud of this. I try not to lie outright to anyone but I definitely withhold some truths. I feel it is important to talk about this, because I know I am not alone.

How to Deal with Hypoglycemia Anxiety

We are balancing the need to maintain good blood glucose control with the fear of hypoglycemia. This fear is well founded. Hypoglycemia is not just unpleasant and embarrassing- it can be fatal.