My last trip to the hospital included a terrifying moment where everything changed for me. It wasn’t waking up in a cold hospital room with an IV attached to my arm, the hallucinations or delusions that came with a severe low blood sugar; the moment that changed everything involved my roommate.
He picked me up from the hospital and had a black eye. I later found out that the person who gave it to him was me. He wasn’t angry with me, but I was both furious and embarrassed. A week later, my friend told me, “Don’t sweat it! I am just happy you are better, but I wish you would take better care of yourself.” From then on I paid more attention to my diabetes and had worked very hard to prevent that from happening again. Just this week, I was thinking back to my friend and how traumatic that experience was.
One of my specialties is trauma and its impact on the cognition of a person living with diabetes. The psychotherapist in me couldn’t help but question if that kind of event was the only or even primary source of trauma for a person living with diabetes. My experience working with individuals living with diabetes, combined with my personal experiences, has led me to a unique answer.
The answer is somewhat surprising. A lack of attention to the answer has led many people with diabetes to Diabetes Burnout. It is not necessarily the big stuff but the little day-to-day trauma that causes the most anxiety, stress, and problems.
These mini-traumas build up over time, taking a silent toll on the emotional well-being of the individual living with diabetes. Sources can range from being late to work due to a low blood sugar reaction to accidently saying or doing something stupid when blood sugars are high that you later have to apologize.
Every day, I help people build coping strategies and skills to manage the day-to-day Mini-Trauma. Interestingly, I don’t always follow the advice and direction I give to my clients. Wondering why?
It’s Personal!
Just as all people are uniquely different and special in their ways, so too are the ways they cope. Some individuals may use meditation to reduce the stress that is incurred from the mini-traumas, while others may play bocce ball or paint. Regardless of the type of coping skills used to manage life with diabetes, to be healthy, you need several ways to handle the trauma.
For example, one of my clients uses techniques learned in psychotherapy with a mix of playing guitar, tennis, and yoga. In therapy, this client has learned how to utilize self-talk to manage their emotional reactions when blood sugars are low or high. They have also created a toolbox of useful coping tools and stratagems, ranging from breathing techniques to time management skills.
We are all different and require different ways to cope. Be kind to yourself. Managing diabetes is a harsh and unforgiving job. That is why it is essential for you to be forgiving of yourself. Avoid self-blaming; when your blood sugar veers off course, remember that comprehensive management doesn’t mean achieving perfect numbers.
Eliot LeBow, LCSW, CDE, is a diabetes-focused psychotherapist. His private practice, located in New York City and is also available via Skype. LeBow, who has been living with type 1 diabetes since 1977, treats the many diverse cognitive, behavioral, and emotional needs of people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
For more information, visit his website or Facebook Page, or schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation to determine if talk therapy is right for you.
Medical Disclaimer:
All the advice included in this blog is therapeutic in nature and should not be considered medical advice. Before making any changes to your diabetes maintenance program, please consult with your primary physician or endocrinologist.