How to manage stress and diabetes

Diabetes and stress

Diabetes can demand a lot of time and attention to manage. This can naturally lead to stress. The following tips provided by Diabetes Canada can help you better manage your diabetes and mental health.

Did you know?

Diabetes ISN’T your fault.

You didn’t cause your diabetes by eating too many sweets or not exercising daily. Diabetes is a complex condition that isn’t the result of any one particular behaviour or decision.

There are many factors that contribute to type 2 diabetes, including age, genetics and the environment. Learn more about risk factors here and turn that shame and blame into empowerment – you CAN live a healthy life with diabetes.

Did you know?

Stress releases hormones in the body that increase blood sugar levels. It’s part of the fight-or-flight response.

The body can recover from occasional stressful situations, but if stress is prolonged, it can make diabetes management more challenging. Make sure you connect with your healthcare provider, diabetes team and/or your pharmacist when stress is adversely affecting your diabetes.

Stress can come from many sources – being sick is one of them. When you’re living with diabetes, a temporary illness, like a cold or the flu, can leave you battling high blood sugars, at risk of dehydration and unsure of what to do. You can find helpful guidance here.

Did you know?

Diabetes can be a burdensome condition to live with, requiring lots of time and attention to manage. People with diabetes can be in denial about their diagnosis and may experience burnout and feelings of distress related to diabetes.

It’s normal to feel angry, sad and overwhelmed by diabetes from time to time. But if you’re struggling to cope, it is important to seek help.

To deal with negative or difficult feelings related to diabetes, you may find yourself adopting some unhealthy habits, like excessively consuming alcohol. Alcohol can impair judgment, contribute to a greater risk of injuries and accidents, increase blood pressure and make blood sugar more challenging to manage. Here is some information about being safe when it comes to alcohol.

When dealing with stress, it’s important to remember to take it one day at a time. It’s also important to recognize when unhealthy coping mechanisms are developing and seek timely help to improve your health.

The information provided in this article is for information purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition(s).