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| | | Message 25 of 30 in Discussion |
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Hi Sarah and others who have posted,
I was really touched by your post and about feeling raw and stressed about sharing about diabetes with your counselor.
I wasn't diagnosed as a child, so I can't speak to that, but Sarah, you have mentioned at various times what a life-changing event it was to get diagnosed, how challenging it's been....Those are real experiences that have shaped who you are.
For me, if I think too hard about having diabetes (& a heart condition with a tiny, tiny risk of being fatal--but stilll....and a genetic pre-disposition to getting blood clots), it is in my face that I have a disease that impacts my quality of life and my life span. I get to confront this reality every meal, every time I exercise, everytime I go to sleep. Everyone who has diabetes gets this wake up call all the time.
It makes all of us careful to balance our lives. I think I can generally say that the diabetics I've met here on Diabetes Living don't take their lives for granted.
But, sometimes it's difficult to live with the reality of diabetes.
People who don't have diabetes or live with someone with diabetes don't get it.
Sarah, I understand how you feel about not wanting to talk about diabetes with the counselor, but I have to think that some of your anxiety may come from dealing with diabetes day in, and day out. It is real. It is a real stress DAILY, and you have been living with it almost all your life. Even if dealing with diabetes isn't causing the anxiety attacks, certainly having a low blood sugar/high blood sugar may contribute to making the anxiety worse.
I guess what I'm saying is that diabetes has taught me that everything is related: it's important to manage emotional health, physical health, what we eat, and what meds we take--I can't ignore one area if I want to have a healthy life.
So, I hope as you build a relationship with your counselor, you can figure out how diabetes fits in with your issues so that ultimately, you can relieve yourself of the anxiety attacks and have a balanced life. Don't push yourself to share more than you're comfortable with, but a good counselor should be able to work with you to get things balanced emotionally.
Thanks for sharing with all of us. You've articulated how I feel sometimes talking to clueless but well-meaning people about diabetes who tell me I'm "brave" to take insulin shots every day. What else are we supposed to do??? I'm not brave--I'm mad but I want to stay alive.
Hang in there, Sarah. How was your Thanksgiving? I hope it was a a peaceful day.
HMBalison |
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