The Emotional Side of Diabetes: How Therapy Can Help

Living with diabetes brings physical as well as emotional challenges. In addition to monitoring blood sugar, watching your diet, and managing medications - the daily grind can take a mental toll. Feelings like stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression are common for those living with chronic illnesses. Luckily, psychotherapy can help.

Therapy provides supportive counseling and teaches coping techniques tailored to the issues diabetes patients face. Some key ways therapy helps include:

- Coping with stress - Stress hormones directly impact blood sugar levels. Therapy teaches relaxation skills to promote glycemic control.

Overcoming diabetes burnout: The daily routine of diabetes management can become exhausting over time, sapping motivation. Counseling renews commitment to self-care.

- Boosting self-image - Diabetes can impact how you view yourself and your body. Therapy challenges negative thought patterns.

- Support with lifestyle changes - Significant diet and exercise adjustments bring abrupt life changes. Counseling aids in significant transition periods.

- Promotes accountability - Therapists help set and review self-care goals, providing accountability.

- Treats clinical mood issues - For significant anxiety or depression, psychotherapy and/or medication provide relief.

While many diabetics initially seek therapy for emotional issues like depression, the coping skills they gain carry lifelong benefits extending to physical health. Learning to anticipate and healthily manage stress improves dietary compliance, testing diligence, exercise habits, and more.

If the burden of diabetes is affecting your mental health, consider reaching out for professional support. Diabetes educators and therapists can coach you through emotional obstacles to get back to feeling your best - inside and out.

Have you tried therapy to help you cope with diabetes?