Facebook Pixel

The Emotional Side of A Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes Diagnosis

By Expert HERWriter
 
Rate This
diabetes or pre-diabetes diagnosis has emotional side Andrey Malinkin/PhotoSpin

Eating is essential for life! Eating and food is part of the tradition and cultural of every society in the world.

We use food not only for fuel but also for comfort, to celebrate or to console ourselves. We use it in our social gatherings and our business meetings.

It can be shocking to get a diagnosis of diabetes or pre-diabetes. Getting one of these diagnoses can be really scary because it means that you have to change your behavior to save your life.

In today’s article I want to talk about the emotional aspects of being diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes. The emotions that accompany this diagnosis can often be overlooked but they are a crucial part of the treatment plan.

Some common emotions you might feel after receiving your diagnosis are panic, denial, confusion, frustration, anger and fear.

Often when my patients are first diagnosed they go into a panic because they know they have a “bad” diagnosis and they feel like all of their favorite foods and all the social activities related to food will be banished forever.

Others go into denial about their diagnosis for the same reason.

Then it begins to sink in that they will have to deal with life changes accompanying their diagnosis. They may become overwhelmed or frustrated with trying to understand how to create new behaviors that will improve their health and fit into their lifestyle at the same time.

Anger, frustration and fear are all born out of a lack of control over your health situation. They have to be recognized and managed until new behaviors become part of your new lifestyle.

Any time we have to deal with several emotions at once, or have to introduce lifestyle changes and habits into our lives, the result is always some level of stress that must be managed.

Why do I spend time with the emotional aspects of the diabetes diagnosis? Because emotions are a huge part of our motivation to create new behaviors.

If you have negative feelings about your health status you are less likely to incorporate changes required to manage your diagnosis.

How do I know this? I have been managing diabetic and pre-diabetic patients for the past 10 years. My treatment plans for them include support of their emotional health while teaching the best food choices and how to manage their medications.

As my patients accept their diagnoses and embrace the changes required to manage blood sugars several have been able to live with normal blood sugars on a daily basis.

If you are struggling to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, consider working individually with a health professional that works both your emotional and physical health it can make all the difference.

For more information about my program visit me on the web at www.Healthydaes.org/diabetes/

Live Vibrantly,

Dr. Daemon Jones
“Dr. Dae”

Dr. Dae's website: www.healthydaes.org

Download one of Dr. Dae's books: Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living or Cultivating Health: Recipes for Diabetic or Pre-Diabetic Conditions @ www.healthydaes.org

Dr. Dae's Bio:

Dr. Daemon Jones is a Naturopathic Physician who maintains a holistic practice by treats patients all over the country using Skype and phone visits. She helps her patients harvest health and feel great using a combination of safe and effective naturopathic and conventional methods.

Sources:

Davidson R.N., Nancy Klobassa, and Peggy Moreland R.N. . "Diabetes and your emotions - MayoClinic.com." Mayo Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2013.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-blog/MY00580

"Nov 05 Managing Emotions." JDRF: Improving Lives. Curing Type 1 Diabetes. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2013.
http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=106129

Reviewed January 8, 2013
by MIchele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Add a CommentComments

There are no comments yet. Be the first one and get the conversation started!

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
By submitting this form, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

Diabetes

Get Email Updates

Diabetes Guide

Have a question? We're here to help. Ask the Community.

ASK

Health Newsletter

Receive the latest and greatest in women's health and wellness from EmpowHER - for free!