Diabetes burnout is REAL. And if your patients with diabetes have not experienced it already, they definitely may!
Today I wanted to write to you all as a person living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and as a T1D that has experienced diabetes burnout… more than once. I’d like to share a snippet of my diabetes journey and how I’ve tackled diabetes burnout.
Managing a chronic disease that is on your mind all day… every day… can be DRAINING - mentally and emotionally. I can’t just choose “not to do diabetes this week,” as if I’m taking a break from my diet. Diabetes is with me 24/7 and I don’t get any breaks. Glucose checks, alarms, highs, lows, basal adjustments, boluses, correction rates, carb counting, juice boxes, insulin, pump site changes, more insulin, prescriptions refills, sensor changes. Sometimes I just want to scream: MAKE IT STOP! (Mainly the alarms, haha.) It’s not that I don’t care about my health, and it’s not that I’m lazy. But the constant attention I give to my diabetes and my desire to be a “perfect diabetic” can become incredibly overwhelming.
The first time I experienced burnout was in my teens – trying to steer clear of the spotlight that glucose checks, insulin injections, and hypoglycemic events easily put me in. I didn’t check my blood sugar for a week or two at a time and would made sporadic adjustments based on how I felt. I ended up at urgent care after months of out-of-whack blood sugars – and a non-pediatric, non-endocrinology physician gave me “the talk.” What “talk” you ask? The “WAKE-UP OR THIS WILL KILL YOU” talk. As a 16-year-old, it was terrifying to hear about the complications associated with diabetes; going blind, losing a limb by the time I was 30 – and yes, never playing soccer again. But that harsh talk helped. I became much more aware of the effects diabetes had on my body and why I needed to do everything I was doing to take care of myself.
The next time I experienced burnout was in my college years. Overwhelmed with work, school, graduation, a boyfriend, & traveling – I just wanted to give-up. I remembered “the talk,” but it can be so difficult to think about the future when you have so much happening in the present. I researched diabetes burnout on my own & with the help of friends, books, blogs & a fresh mind set, I felt renewed.
Like diabetes, there are TREATMENTS for diabetes burnout… and I wanted to share with you all what worked for ME.
- REMEMBER: Blood sugars are DATA that help us make treatment decisions, not judgements of our ability to manage our disease. (Favorite quote: “There is no place for concepts of “good” or bad” blood sugar – this gives these numbers too much power, when what they really need to be are pieces of data that we use to take action.” – Lynn Crowe & Julie Stachowiak, PhD in The Diabetes Manifesto)
- Understanding the reality: As you know, DM can have devastating effects on every body system if not properly managed. Not everyone needs a harsh “talk,” but understanding the "why" factor of diabetes management is crucial.
- Diabetes Humor – This reminded me that I don’t always have to view my disease in a bitter or negative way, and that I am not alone in my struggles! Just research diabetes jokes, memes, or join one of the countless Facebook groups for diabetes humor.
- Diabuddy – The accountability a diabuddy can provide is huge! Comparing numbers, sharing experiences and talking about what works and what doesn’t has really helped. I found my diabuddy through JDRF's Young Leadership Committee.
- Books/Blogs – Type “diabetes burnout” in a search engine and the results are endless. Here are two books I recommend:
- Diabetes Burnout: What to Do When You Can’t Take It Anymore – William H. Polonsky, PhD, CDE
- The Diabetes Manifesto: Take Charge of Your Life – Lynn Crowe & Julie Stachowiak, PhD
Have you had to work with a patient experiencing diabetes burnout? If so, what advice did you give? What worked for your patient?