By Excel V. Dyquiangco

More than the physical toll that diabetes brings, this lifestyle disease also carries with it an emotional and mental strain. Think about it: tracking your blood sugar levels, planning your meals, making sure you sweat, taking your medications religiously can oftentimes leave you feeling emotionally drained, and completely overwhelmed. According to Dr. Farah Gilani, a general practitioner, this is called diabetes distress.

“This is a condition where people with diabetes experience emotional distress, with negative thoughts and feelings,” she says. “It is not the same as depression or anxiety but can lead to these if unrecognized.”

For those struggling with mental health when you have diabetes, here are several things that you should DO and things that you should NOT DO.

DOs

Be good to yourself

When you are going through some troubled times such as going through some health crisis, it is easy to feel bad about yourself, and to think negatively about yourself. However, you need to balance your thoughts and actions through the following: exercising often, getting enough sleep, putting down the blame game, and rewarding yourself when you meet your goals. In other words, please be good to yourself.

Keep a journal

Writing down your thoughts can help you process your situation and circumstances. Writing down how emotionally angry or miserable you are can help you feel better. “When we write things down, they feel more manageable,” says clinical psychologist Perpetua Neo, PhD.

Reach out

Talk to a loved one, a family member, a best friend, about what you are thinking and what you are feeling. Look for and talk to a support group as there are many diabetes support groups out there. Be as honest as you can be. And as much as possible, do not shun everyone out of your life. Do not make yourself feel alone.

“One growing theory about the root of depression in our society is the lack of social relationships in our communities and even in our families,” says psychotherapist Christian Maciel. “There is a constant dose of emptiness and disconnection in our everyday interactions due to overworking, television and technology. People managing depression need more company, more friends, more people reaching out to them, and more people wanting to spend time with them, not the opposite.”

Talk to a professional

If you feel you want to talk more and let it all out, seek professional help. This does not mean that you are bonkers in the head, of course, it only means that you want what is best for you. Hospitals around Metro Manila encourage people struggling with mental health issues to just give them a call and approach them.

Be mindful

Relaxation and mindfulness can help you, too. You can also learn how to relax, to take a deep breath, and to meditate – learn to keep calm. You can also think about you are grateful for. You’d be surprised how your mood can shift.

Join extracurricular activities

Instead of just moping around your house, why not go out and have a breath of fresh air? Join hiking clubs, organize blood-letting activities (through the help of a professional, of course), extend your helping arm to the poor and needy, enroll yourself in a fitness gym. Get yourself involved with the community. This way you are guaranteed that your focus is away from yourself and towards the people around you, and you’d be surprised that there are other people out there who have had worse.

Take a break

Read a book, walk around your neighborhood, water the plants, talk to a neighbor, walk the dog, do the dishes, and other activities that can recharge you.

DONTs

Do not keep yourself isolated

Always have a group of people around you, whether that would be your nurse, a best friend, a family member, a relative, a colleague at work, or even your friends from high school. Of course, you can’t be with them all the time but the bottom line is to not keep yourself isolated. This can fuel negative thoughts and feelings to run rampant around your head, and you don’t want that to happen.

Do not abuse yourself

Oftentimes, when you feel sad or depressed, you tend to overeat, you tend to be lazy and sedentary, you fail to take your medications. If you are doing all of these things, stop yourself right there. Instead be good to yourself and always follow the orders of your doctor.

Don’t equate yourself with your illness

Mayo Clinic says that you are not an illness. “So instead of saying “I’m bipolar,” say “I have bipolar disorder.” Instead of calling yourself “a schizophrenic,” say “I have schizophrenia,” it advises.

Do not go into vices

It is easier said than done, but as much as possible, stay away from alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. These not only harm you physically but bring you into a dangerous state of mental health. They can make your head cloudy and can make you think irrationally.