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Coping and support

By Mayo Clinic staff

Living with type 1 diabetes isn't easy. Good diabetes management requires a lot of time and effort, especially in the beginning.

Diabetes can affect your emotions both directly and indirectly. Poorly controlled blood sugar can directly affect your emotions by causing behavior changes, such as irritability. Diabetes may also make you feel different from other people, and there may be times you feel resentful that you always have to incorporate diabetes planning in everything you do.

People with diabetes have an increased risk of depression and anxiety, which may be why many diabetes specialists regularly include a social worker or psychologist as part of their diabetes care team.

You may find that talking to other people with type 1 diabetes is helpful. There are support groups available both online and in person. Although support groups aren't for everyone, they can be good sources of information. Group members often know about the latest treatments and tend to share their own experiences or helpful information, such as where to find carbohydrate counts for your favorite take-out restaurant. If you're interested, your doctor may be able to recommend a group in your area.

Or you can visit the Web sites of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for support group information and to check out local activities for people with type 1 diabetes. You can also reach the ADA at 800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) or JDRF at 800-533-CURE (800-533-2873).

Prevention Lifestyle and home remedies
References
  1. Diabetes Mellitus (DM). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch158/ch158b.html#sec12-ch158-ch158b-1105. Accessed April 2, 2009.
  2. Standards of medical care in diabetes — 2009. Alexandria, Va.: American Diabetes Association. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/reprint/32/Supplement_1/S13. Accessed April 1, 2009.
  3. Eisenbarth GS, et al. Pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home.index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2009.
  4. Gillespie KM. Type 1 diabetes: Pathogenesis and prevention. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2006;175. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/article/body/115743848-3/jorg=journal&source=MI&sp=163/jorg=journal&source=MI&sp=16. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  5. Heart disease and stroke statistics — 2009 update. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/123565990943909Heart%20and%20Stroke%20Update.pdf. Accessed April 1, 2009.
  6. Your guide to diabetes: Type 1 and type 2. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/type1and2/index.htm. Accessed April 1, 2009.
  7. What people with diabetes need to know about osteoporosis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Accessed Jan. 9, 2009.
  8. Jovanavic L. Successful pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes: From preconception through postpartum care. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America. 2006;35:79.
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  10. Estimated average glucose, eAG. American Diabetes Association. http://professional.diabetes.org/GlucoseCalculator.aspx. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  11. Pfizer statement on Exubera labeling update in the United States. Pfizer.com. Accessed April 3, 2009.
  12. About omnipod. Omnipod.com. http://www.myomnipod.com/products/. Accessed April 3, 2009.
  13. Symlin (prescribing information). San Diego, Calif.: Amylin Pharmaceuticals; 2008.
  14. Diabetes and women's sexual health. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/women-sexual-health.jsp. Accessed April 3, 2009.
  15. Hypoglycemia. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/hypoglycemia/index.htm. Accessed April 2, 2009.
  16. Diabetes and employment. Alexandria, Va.: American Diabetes Association. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/32/Supplement_1/S80. Accessed April 1, 2009.
  17. Robertson RP. Pancreas and islet transplantation in diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home.index.html. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  18. Voltarelli J, et al. Autologous nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007;297:1568.
  19. Havas S, et al. Tight control of type 1 diabetes: Recommendations for patients. American Family Physician. 2006;74:971.
  20. The dangerous toll of diabetes. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/dangerous-toll.jsp. Accessed April 3, 2009.
  21. High blood sugar: Definition, symptoms. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=EC92D98E-1321-C844-13EB771367A49526. Accessed April 3, 2009.
  22. Smoking. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/smoking.jsp. Accessed April 3, 2009.
  23. TrialNet studies. TrialNet. http://www.diabetestrialnet.org/patientinfo/studies.htm. Accessed April 3, 2009.
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  25. International Expert Committee. International Expert Committee report on the role of the A1C assay in the diagnosis of diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2009;32:1.

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