By Eliot LeBow
It’s 7:00 AM. Your alarm goes off, and before your feet even hit the floor, your first thought is, “I have to check my blood sugar.”
And you just… can’t.
You’ve been doing this for years. You’ve tested, counted carbs, calculated insulin, corrected highs, and chugged juice for lows. You’ve been the “good patient.” You know the drill.
But lately, the thought of pricking your finger one more time feels like climbing a mountain. You see a high number on your meter and just… look away. You find yourself “forgetting” your insulin at mealtime. You’re tired. Not just sleepy-tired. You’re exhausted to your very bones.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This is diabetes burnout.
What Is Diabetes Burnout (And What It’s Not)?
Diabetes burnout is the very real, very human state of emotional and physical exhaustion from the 24/7 job of managing diabetes.
It’s not laziness. It’s not that you’ve “stopped caring” (even if it feels that way). And it’s not a personal failure.
Medical providers often misinterpret this as a patient being difficult or deliberately “resistant” to self-management. But it’s not. In fact, diabetes burnout often happens to people who have had relatively good control for a long time. It’s the result of carrying a relentless, invisible burden for years, or even decades.
While it can look a lot like depression—with symptoms of sadness, anger, and low motivation—burnout is different. It’s a specific response to the crushing, non-stop tasks of diabetes.
Symptoms of diabetes burnout can feel like:
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Exhaustion: A deep-seated feeling of “I can’t do this anymore.”
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Resentment & Guilt: Feeling angry at your diabetes, followed by feeling guilty for being angry.
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Shame & Isolation: Believing you’re the only one failing at this, so you pull away from friends, family, and even your doctor.
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Avoidance: You start skipping the very things that keep you healthy—like checking your blood sugar, addressing highs or lows, or even taking your insulin on time.
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Paralysis: When faced with a diabetes task, you just feel… stuck. Frozen by anxiety, anger, or despair.
The “Lecture” You’re Desperate to Avoid
Let’s be honest: are you avoiding your doctor’s appointment?
So many of us have been there. You sit on the paper-covered exam table, staring at your shoes, just knowing your HbA1c is high. You’re already feeling ashamed and scared.
Then, the doctor comes in, looks at the chart, and says:
“This isn’t good. Your HbA1c is very high, and you need to get below a 7 if you want to avoid future complications.”
They think they’re being helpful. But what you hear is: “You are failing. This is all your fault.”
You leave the office feeling even more ashamed, guilty, and hopeless. This fear of being “scolded” is a massive trigger for burnout. It closes the door to asking for help when you need it most.
A good provider understands this. A supportive approach sounds more like: “I see your HbA1c is high. This seems unusual for you. How are you feeling? What’s been the hardest part for you lately, and how can I help?”
Why This Happens (It’s Not Just You)
Living with diabetes is a full-time, high-stakes job you never get a vacation from.
The burnout comes from the frustration of it all. Few people understand the factors that are completely out of your control. You can eat the same meal, take the same insulin, and get a 90 one day and a 250 the next. Why? Hormones. Stress. A change in the weather. Who knows?
When you pour all your effort into “controlling” your diabetes and your numbers still don’t cooperate, it’s easy to fall into frustration and self-blame. That is the very definition of emotional exhaustion.
How to Find Your Way Back from Burnout
You don’t have to (and you shouldn’t) climb out of this hole alone. The best solution is to build a support team that focuses on your emotional health, not just your physical numbers.
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Find a Therapist Who Gets It.
The single best thing you can do is talk to a psychotherapist, especially one who understands chronic illness. They can give you the tools and skills to cope with the emotions of diabetes. (Therapies like Cognitive Behavior Therapy or Motivational Interviewing are often very effective).
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Re-engage with a Diabetes Educator.
They aren’t just for the newly diagnosed! Think of them as a coach. They can help you with accountability, learn new technologies, or just find management strategies that feel less overwhelming.
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Find Your People in a Support Group.
This is critical. Burnout thrives on isolation. Being in a room (even a virtual one) with other people who truly get it—who know the sound of a 3 AM low-blood-sugar alarm—is incredibly validating. It reminds you that you are not alone.
Most people living with diabetes will go through a period of burnout. It’s not a question of if, but when.
It doesn’t make you a “bad diabetic.” It makes you a human being who is doing something incredibly difficult, every single day.
If you’re in that place of exhaustion right now, take a deep breath. Acknowledge it. And then, take one small, kind step. Make one phone call. Send one text to a friend. You can move past this.
For information on Diabetes-Focused Psychotherapy and how it might help you, go to my website, www.diabetictalks.com, today.
*All advice included in this article 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.
