Being diagnosed with a chronic health condition such as diabetes can be daunting to handle and accept. Dealing with the challenges that any illness brings can be frustrating, confusing, and a bit overwhelming.
While it’s important to note that these emotions are normal, when combined, they can cause you stress that can affect your overall health.
Fortunately, there are ways to cope with your emotions and learn to live with diabetes. Your community partners at Unidos Contra La Diabetes would like to share three simple ways that you can begin to deal with the worries and concerns of diabetes.
Tips To Help You Deal With the Stress of Having Diabetes
1. Focus On Taking One Step at a Time
Did you know that 1 in 5 people with type 2 diabetes has high levels of diabetes stress?
Stress can play a critical role in our overall health, which is why we need to manage it effectively. When dealing with the stress of diabetes, it’s important to take one step at a time and focus on what you can change at the moment.
Write down a list with a few tactics and actions you can take that will help you to not only manage your diabetes but also live a healthier lifestyle. For instance, your first to-do can be a simple reminder to take your medicine at a given time. You can jot down another reminder to take an evening walk with a loved one for exercise.
Thankfully, many of us have our phones on us at all times, and these devices can be used to remind us when to take action.
Start small, handling a couple tasks a day until you start to feel more comfortable.
2. Focus On What You Can Control
When we’re feeling stressed, it can be easy to jump from one thought to the next and feel like we have no control over our lives. When this happens, we need to practice focusing on what we can control.
While it’s always important to plan and consider the future, it’s important to recognize that there’s a lot you can’t control down the road. Constantly thinking about what you can’t control will create unneeded stress.
Instead, keep focused on the day-to-day activities you can control and enjoy the present. Doing breathing activities and even yoga can help you focus on the present and lower your stress levels.
3. Talk and Express What You Feel
Talking to a professional or trusted family member may help lessen the stress you are feeling. Additionally, you may be able to find what triggers your stress and brainstorm healthy coping mechanisms. Talking and getting thoughts off your shoulders, will allow you to release your emotions in a healthy way, and make living with your diabetes a bit easier.
Unidos Contra La Diabetes: Your Community Partner to Prevent Diabetes
Our professionals here at Unidos Contra La Diabetes are here! If ever you have any questions, comments, or concerns feel free to reach out to us.
