Mental Health
Type 1 diabetes affects more than just the physical. It’s emotionally taxing and tests our constitutions daily. Whether you have Type 1 or are a caregiver for someone who has it, you should know first that you are not alone. Remember, too, that a big and important part of taking care of yourself, is nurturing the mind and spirit. We are just beginning to explore what that means through our own extensive research as well as by consulting experts from a wide range of disciplines. We’re on the search to discover what contributes to a healthy mental state and how one can achieve a balanced life.
If you have Type 1 diabetes or are caring for someone who does, it is likely that you or your loved one will experience any of the following: stress, diabetes distress, burnout, diabulimia and/or depression.
Resources
Stress — Why and How You Should Reduce It
When it comes to having Type 1, keeping stress in check is paramount for preventing long-term complications. Here are 7 easy tips on how to reduce stress if you have diabetes.MORE
Diabetes Burnout
Diabetes burnout is a state in which someone with diabetes grows tired of managing their condition, and then simply ignores it for a period of time, or worse, forever.MORE
How Diabetes Impacts Your Mental Health
Psychology is the study of how situations, emotions and relationships in our lives interact and impact our behavior. Mark Heyman, PhD, CDE, thinks this provides the framework we can use to talk ...MORE
What is Diabulimia?
What are the warning signs of the Type 1 eating disorder "diabulimia"? What are the best forms of treatment? What behaviors or psychological characteristics can put a person with Type 1 at a...MORE
Caregiver Burnout
Caregiver burnout is real, and often goes ignored (or even unnoticed) by those who are experiencing it. It's physical, emotional and mental exhaustion.MORE
Finding a Diabetes Mental Health Provider
Even though diabetes is a physical condition, it's no secret that sometimes the biggest challenges in living with diabetes are mental. Finding the right mental health provider for you is importan...MORE
The T1D Guide for Mental Health Care Providers
If you’re going to be caring for a person with Type 1 diabetes with regard to their mental health, there are some important things to know about the various emotional impact of having T1D and the ma...MORE
Suicide Risks and Type 1 Diabetes
A 2014 review of studies that examined the relationship between Type 1 and suicide ideation, attempts, and concluded that those with Type 1 also have a higher risk of suicide.MORE
Teens with Type 1 + Depression
We already knew that depression and diabetes are related, and it turns out that teenagers with Type 1 may be especially susceptible to depression.MORE
What is Diabetes Distress?
According to Dr. Lawrence Fisher, Research Director at the Behavioral Diabetes Institute (BDI), Diabetes Distress or “DD” refers to all the fears and worries that people with diabetes experience o...MORE
Help Your Loved One with a Type 1 Diabetes Eating Disorder
Drawing on a series of recent interviews and over fifteen years of research and clinical experience with this unique phenomenon, author Ann Goebel-Fabbri provides groundbreaking insight into the lives...MORE
Self-care is Never Selfish for Parents of Kids with Diabetes
Being a parent can be one of the most rewarding – and most tiring jobs a person does. Add a child with Type 1 diabetes to the mix, and all bets are off! MORE
Anxiety + Diabetes
When this distress gets too high, or is disproportionate to the situation provoking it, the person tends to suffer from anxiety instead of benefitting from it. You don’t have to dig deep to find a r...MOREPersonal Stories
The first step to taking care of yourself mentally, is seeking help and resources. In addition to professional help from a mental health provider, you may find benefit in finding a community in-person or online that “gets it.” Hearing personal accounts from others who have gone through what you are experiencing can be helpful. Learn how others affected by Type 1 have learned to cope with mental stress by reading their stories here or connecting on the Beyond Type 1 App.
