What They Don’t Talk About: The Emotional and Mental Exhaustion of Diabetes

Key Takeaways

• Diabetes burnout is very real and very normal. It’s okay to feel mentally and emotionally overwhelmed.
• You’re not alone. Approximately 800 million people have diabetes.
• Try to normalize the cycle of resting, resetting, recharging, and restarting.
• Little changes to habits and routines can have a profound long-term impact.

Living with diabetes can feel like swimming relentlessly against an invisible tide, desperately trying to stay afloat while waves crash all around you. With such a strong focus on physical health, the toll diabetes takes on emotional and mental well-being often goes overlooked and unnoticed, even by ourselves.

Stress manifests in mysterious ways. It can be palpable and overwhelming, but it can also be subtle, sneaky, and insidious, wearing us down day by day until we reach a breaking point. This long-term emotional fatigue is 100% normal, and it’s okay to feel this way. You’re going through a lot.

Diabetes is a lifelong marathon, not an occasional sprint. You’re going to get tired along the way. That’s not a personal failing or a sign of weakness, but a fact of life. And when every day presents new hurdles, you can’t be expected to keep jumping without getting worn out. Even the strongest, most resilient people have their limits.

Remember: You’re not alone. Diabetes is among the most common chronic health conditions. Approximately 800 million people struggle with diabetes, and there are over 38 million cases in the United States alone. That’s a massive, supportive community you can lean on.

In this blog, we aim to shift the usual discussion about bodily health to the side of diabetes that doesn’t get enough attention: mental and emotional health.

Diabetes Feels Like a 24/7 Job You Didn’t Apply For

Managing diabetes is a job with no breaks, weekends, time off, pay, or clocking out. There’s always something to do, and those daily tasks are on top of your existing responsibilities. Anyone would feel overwhelmed in that position. There’s an ever-present mental checklist of many critical tasks that need to be repeated constantly throughout the day:

Monitoring and Managing Blood Sugar

The core of diabetes management is vigilantly testing and tracking your blood glucose levels and using insulin, food, and drinks to keep them balanced.

Staying Stocked With Essential Supplies

Beyond the physical and emotional labor involved in blood sugar management, the cost of testing and insulin supplies adds up over time, even if you use the least expensive glucose test strips and insulin syringes.

Carb Counting and Meal Planning

Maintaining a healthy diet is a lot of work. Whether you’re focusing on weight loss or looking to add more fruits and vegetables to your meals, constantly tracking what you eat and drink is a daily burden. And, many people with diabetes rely on vitamins and supplements, too.

Managing Technology

Cutting-edge tech like insulin pump supplies, digital diabetes testing kits, and CGM supplies can significantly improve your quality of life, but modern devices can also be intimidating, especially for those who don’t keep up with the latest innovations.

Keeping Up With Information

Learning about diabetes is so important, but it can be difficult to sift through the many common diabetes myths and avoid misinformation.

Navigating Social and Professional Situations

From bringing your own food to holiday parties to finding a discreet place to use a diabetic pen at the office to flying with insulin supplies, being away from home presents a multitude of challenges. It’s easy to deliberately or subconsciously prefer staying home.

The Emotional Labor of Always “Being On”

Diabetes doesn’t take a time out. When you’re having a busy day, diabetes is still there. When a family member needs your support, diabetes is still there. When a pet wants to play, diabetes is still there. No matter what life throws at you, you’re always juggling an extra ball.

Signs of Mental Exhaustion & Emotional Fatigue

Recognizing when diabetes burnout is looming or occurring empowers you to be proactive about your mental and emotional states. Again, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with experiencing stress, anxiety, and even anger. Those emotions are normal and unexpected. With that said, acknowledging them is the first step to overcoming them on your terms.

Here are some common signs that you’re experiencing mental exhaustion and emotional fatigue:

Avoiding or Delaying Important Tasks

Diabetes burnout can make you feel numb and detached when it comes to management tasks like checking your blood sugar, taking insulin, preparing and logging meals, and remembering to use tracking apps.

Even reordering diabetic supplies can feel like a major undertaking when you’re not in the mood. Running out of vital supplies can have devastating consequences, but often those consequences feel far removed until it’s too late.

That’s why we provide the Diabetic Coverage® Auto-Ship Program. Simply choose your must-have supplies, and we’ll ship them on a set schedule. The ADW Diabetes App also lets you enjoy quick and easy shopping on your mobile device.

Feeling Like Your Efforts Are Inadequate

Have you ever felt frustrated or ashamed that you’re not doing enough? It’s a paradoxical feeling, as you’re already overworked, but you still feel you’re not putting in enough effort.

It’s easier said than done, but try to be kind to yourself. Show yourself the same grace, understanding, and compassion you would to others. Celebrate your victories (no matter how small), and try not to let that little voice in your head convince you that you’re not making progress. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good. Every step forward is a milestone.

Shifting the Narrative: It’s Not a Personal Failure

In modern society, there’s a prevalent (and incorrect) mindset that if we all just eat healthy food and exercise, we’ll be happy and healthy. That’s just not how the real world works.

Health conditions can and do affect anyone and everyone. Your body’s resistance to insulin or difficulty producing insulin has no bearing on who you are as a person. Everyone who has ever existed has had health problems in some form or another. It’s part of being human.

With that said, we understand that overcoming feelings of personal failure isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. Here are some strategies that might help you adopt a self-compassionate mindset:

Reframing Self-Talk

Replace “I’m failing” with “I’m carrying a lot, and it’s okay to feel the weight.”

Replace “I’m not doing enough” with “I’m doing the best I can with what I have.”

Replace “I made a mistake again” with “This is an opportunity to learn and grow.”

Replace “I can’t do this anymore” with “I’m overwhelmed right now, but I’m strong and resilient.”

Replace “I’m being lazy” with “My mind and body are telling me I need rest.”

Replace “This is impossible” with “Let me look for a solution.”

Redefining Success

Showing up counts! Every time you check your levels, you’re doing something positive for yourself. That sharps container full of syringes is a testament to your commitment to doing what’s needed to maintain your health. Every used test strip represents a moment you took care of yourself.

Try to view diabetes management as a series of small but important victories. Those small wins may seem inconsequential at the time, but don’t miss the forest for the trees. Success doesn’t mean perfection. Pushing through difficult days, bit by bit, is an achievement worth celebrating.

Normalizing the Cycle

The simple truth is that mental and emotional exhaustion is an unavoidable part of having a chronic health condition. Acceptance doesn’t mean giving in. Acknowledgement doesn’t mean you lost the battle.

Expecting struggles and resets means you’re aware, not weak. Try to normalize the cycle of ups and downs, and grab and hold onto those moments of relief whenever and wherever you can.

Catering to the Mind-Body Connection

While we’re focusing on the mental and emotional side of diabetes, it’s important to recognize that how you feel physically still plays a role. Allow yourself to enjoy creature comforts when you’re feeling low. Comfy pillows and bedding, your favorite diabetes-friendly snacks, and a good movie can work wonders! Try not to let diabetes stand in your way of enjoying life.

Practical Survival Tips from Diabetics

Making minor adjustments to your habits and routines can have a profound impact on your overall lifestyle. Here are some quick tips to keep in mind.

• Check in with yourself regularly. Just the act of connecting with yourself from time to time can help you be more present, mindful, and in tune with your thoughts and feelings.
• Be specific. Ask yourself: “Am I feeling detached, overwhelmed, or avoidant?”
• Pick one thing to automate. For example, you could get your go-to supplies auto-delivered through our subscription program. You could pick out a wearable insulin pump for sale and start enjoying the convenience of automated insulin delivery. Try to find at least one way to make your life a little easier. Once it’s in place, pick another!
• Give your reminders and alerts a kinder tone. Positive language goes a long way. Instead of “Test now,” try “You’ve got this!”
• Reframe success as “showing up.” Every level check, counted carb, and step on the treadmill counts. Acknowledge and celebrate your wins, no matter how small they may seem.
• Stock up on the basics. Running low on (or out of) supplies causes stress. Consider buying supplies in bulk for peace of mind.

It’s Okay to Need a Mental Reset

You can’t grow a garden without seeds, weave a tapestry without thread, or build a house without bricks. Every step you take to manage your physical, mental, and emotional health matters. Try to stay focused on the big picture while still celebrating every seed planted, every thread woven, and every brick laid.

Diabetes management is a long and bumpy road. Mental resets aren’t detours or setbacks; they’re vital pit stops that let you rest, reset, recharge, and restart your journey. Give yourself permission and space to feel your emotions fully, but try not to let them take the wheel. Your potential to grow in strength, determination, and fortitude is limitless. Never forget that.

Enjoy Easy Shopping at ADW Diabetes

We strive to be a resource you can depend on for both helpful diabetes information and discount diabetic supplies and health and wellness products. If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Make life a little easier by scheduling automated deliveries through our Diabetic Coverage® Auto-Ship Program.