It is time to lose the blame when it comes to your diabetes

Do you find yourself feeling guilt about your diabetes management? It is time to lose the blame when it comes to your diabetes.

Holding onto motivation around your diabetes can be tough when the results are not as you would like them to be- and let’s face it, diabetes can be like that at times. Feeling like people are blaming you for your diabetes being out of whack can lower your motivation and blaming yourself will also do this. Stand up for yoiurself and see other people’s lack of knowledge about diabetes as an opportunity to educate them!

It can help to remember it is not an easy job. Sometimes you can make changes yourself to your diabetes management and lifestyle to get healthier results; sometimes you can do this with good support and advice; and other times it is not within your “control” and is just the way diabetes is.

We are very lucky to be living in times where there are changes to diabetes management every day, so keeping up to date with the latest technology and management options is important. Always seek input from your healthcare team if things are not going as you would like them to be so that you can find out what changes may be possible – never suffer alone.

Have realistic goals and speak up!

It is helpful to have realistic goals and understanding of diabetes and how you can manage it. Your motivation for diabetes management will be higher if problems that get in its way are dealt with and if you remember you will have up and down days – this is forever.

Tell your health care team what your needs and priorities are and make sure you are listened to and feel comfortable approaching them with any concerns. Take a support person to appointments if you are unsure about speaking up for yourself or remembering what you are told in the appointment.

Problems are Problems

In our world we often end up seeing ourselves as the problems and a sense of personal failure can creep in. It can really help to learn to see that “problems are problems” and YOU are not the problem!  If things are off track with your diabetes there are likely to be problems getting in the way – sometimes you need to talk to someone, a friend, family member, support person or counsellor, to work out what these problems are and how to make them smaller.

Seeing this does not diminish your responsibility in dealing with the problems and your diabetes management, but it opens up possibilities for change. If you see yourself as the problem ( I am hopeless, a loser, a bad diabetic) it is hard to make changes. Tackling something that is outside of yourself is much more helpful.

So lose the blame! It really helps to see what is possible.

Helen

xx