It’s a common problem

Most people with diabetes will feel down about it at some point. There is a lot to take on – learning to take responsibility for managing your diabetes in lots of different situations can be daunting and the knowledge that it’s an ongoing condition and will not go away can be difficult to cope with in the early stages. It’s unsurprising, then, that most people go through phases of being really quite fed up. 

However, for one in four people with diabetes, these feelings will tip over into depression that may need medical treatment. If you are one of these people, it is important to remember that it is absolutely normal to feel like this and that there is nothing at all to be ashamed about. The essential thing is not to suffer in silence – there are people you can talk to about your feelings and plenty of resources available online that will support you until you start to feel better. Most people with diabetes struggle with their emotions at some point, as you’ll hear in this video.

We’ll discuss what help is available and some coping strategies later in this section.