Monday, January 21, 2019

To Anyone Going Through Diabetes Burnout...



What is “diabetes burnout”? Burnout is something that occurs when you feel like you just don’t have it in you to do all the little things that diabetes requires to take care of yourself. We have to remember, Diabetes is an all-encompassing illness. It affects every part of every day and there are consequences if you get distracted from it. You have to be on top of things 24/7, 365 days a year, and there’s nowhere to hide from it. With burnout, the attention life with T1D demands becomes too much. You don’t feel like taking care of yourself, and you really just want to ignore your diabetes and pretend it doesn’t exist.


You might be dealing with burnout if:



  • You feel like Diabetes is controlling your life.
  • You feel angry a lot of the time about having to deal with Diabetes.
  • You feel overwhelmed by life with Diabetes.
  • You’re avoiding parts of your care, like seeing your endocrinologist, testing your blood sugar often enough, etc.
  • You’ve stopped really caring about your blood sugars.
  • You feel alone with your Diabetes and like no one understands.
  • You worry about the consequences of ignoring parts of your care, but you’re too unmotivated to make a change.
  • You feel like you want to give up.
  • You feel stressed out and like nothing you do ends up being right.
  • You don’t want to think about Diabetes, even for a second.


Does this sound like you? Well, you’re not alone. Did you know that the vast majority of people with Type 1, or caregivers of Type 1, deal with burnout at some point?


So to anyone going through Diabetes burnout, the first thing I want to tell you is not to be ashamed. This doesn’t mean you’re weak. It simply means you’ve had to be strong for a long time and you’re tired. It says nothing about your character, because anybody dealing with something that is in the background of EVERYTHING you do will grow tired and frustrated with it. Also, I’m proud of you. Why, you ask? Because this isn’t something that’s easy to go through. And even though it might be painful, day by day, you’re making it through. You are a fighter whether you like it or not. Your bad days are not signs of weakness. Those are actually the days where you’re fighting your hardest. Know that you will get through this period of struggle, even though it might be hard. People with Type 1 are forced to learn to be strong. But I also believe that they are innately born with a certain strength. So when you feel your weakest, and you feel like you’re at your wit’s end, know that it’s okay to rest. It’s okay to allow yourself to feel all the feelings that might come your way. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to lean on the people around you. We all need a break sometimes. But also know that that fighting spirit will remain somewhere inside you. And when you’re ready, you will bounce back, and come back with even more tenacity than before.