Life is full of stressful situations. Having diabetes, and the day-to-day of living with an ongoing condition and managing it can also add to our mental load and feelings of stress.
While feeling stress will always be a normal part of life, there are many things you can do that can make it easier and reduce the burden.
Stress in life can take many forms – from managing diabetes, pressure at work or running late, to moving house. There are physical stresses too, such as catching the flu, breaking a bone or being in an accident.
A little bit of stress or some anxious feelings can be good for us. It can help us focus our mind and body when we need to concentrate and keep us alert and productive.
But experiencing stress or anxiety at high levels or for long periods can affect your mood and physical health.
Most people use these words interchangeably, and the signs and symptoms of stress and anxiety are very similar.
If ignored, stress and anxiety can turn into more serious anxiety disorders, or into diabetes distress and burnout.
Fortunately, there are practical things you can do to take care of yourself, reduce the impact, and get back to feeling like yourself again, sooner.
This section gives an overview of the some of the common signs of stress, what can cause them, and how diabetes and stress can affect each other.
Some of these signs or situations may be familiar, but do not feel discouraged if they do not apply to you exactly. The techniques and tips covered in What you can do and When to get support are still worth exploring.
Stress is a very individual thing. What might be highly stressful for one person can be very easy for others. Think about how some people love public speaking, and others find it extremely nerve-wracking.
Understanding what makes you feel stressed is the first step in releasing the emotional pressure valve. Some common stressors include:
Sometimes distressing memories can continue long after the event. You might feel scared or nervous, avoid things that remind you of the event, feel constantly on edge or struggle to cope with stress in everyday situations. If this kind of stress is not going away, or is impacting your day-to-day life, it is really important to seek support from a health professional like your regular GP, or you might find a professional that can help here.
Stress can look like different things in different people. It can show up as changes in our mood, physical symptoms or the way we think (also called cognition). Below are some common signs that you may be experiencing stress:
Living with diabetes can be stressful. Keeping to a routine, making healthy choices about food and exercise, and monitoring your blood glucose levels can be demanding.
Dealing with normal life pressures on top of diabetes can cause problems, because stress causes your body to release cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can increase your blood glucose levels, and make you lose sleep. Not sleeping enough can also tell your body to release even more cortisol, which can raise your blood glucose levels even further, creating a very annoying and unfair cycle of stress. This is why recognising the signs, and having some tools to manage stress is so crucial.
Anxiety is feeling worried or fearful about something bad happening. Usually, this is a normal response to a real threat, for example having a hypo (hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar).
Anxiety becomes a serious problem (a mental health condition, known as an ‘anxiety disorder’) when these feelings last for at least two weeks and have a negative impact on your life. It can be very disruptive to your social life, work or relationships, and make living with diabetes more difficult than it should be.
Treatment can help you feel better and more like yourself. You can find some useful resources in the When to get support section.
Anxiety disorder is the most common mental health condition in Australia, with about 1 in 4 people experiencing it at some point in their lives. Anxiety disorder can refer to several disorders, including generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorders, social anxiety disorders or phobias.
There is no clear cause for anxiety disorder. In fact, feeling anxious every so often is a normal part of life. But sometimes our bodies and minds develop an intense reaction to certain situations that are difficult to explain or control.
If your feelings of fear or worry are centred around a specific thing like needles, developing complications or having a hypo, you may like to visit the Worries and fears page for more specific advice.
Anxiety, like stress, affects both our minds and our bodies. Many of the symptoms of anxiety are shared with feelings of stress. The key is in the intensity and length.
If these symptoms go on for more than a few weeks or you feel they are having an impact on your life, it is time to reach out for some extra support.
Keep in mind that some people may have different symptoms. This list is not designed to give you a diagnosis. You can use this as a guide, but only a trained health professional can properly diagnose an anxiety disorder.
Below you will find some practical tips and techniques that may be helpful to manage any stress or anxiety you are feeling. You might need to try a few different things to find what works best for you.
It’s a good idea to practice these exercises when you are feeling calm. This way they will be easier to use when you do feel stressed or anxious.
A very effective way of calming our nervous systems is to breathe deeply in a rhythm or pattern.
There are many different types of digital resources. Some are as simple as screening tools and checklists to help you decide if you want to seek help for a psychological issue. Some offer web seminars. Others have structured online programs, and some programs even offer an online counsellor or online psychologist to talk to.
If your stress and anxiety become overwhelming, are stopping you from effectively taking care of your diabetes, or you would just like some extra help to cope, there are a range of support services available to you.
As a starting point you might like to explore free resources available through Beyond Blue, the Black Dog Institute or any of the other organisations listed in the support services page. Head to Health (1800 595 212) is a free service which can also help you navigate your options and find which local services and supports might be right for you.
Counsellors, psychologists or other mental health professionals may also be a good option. You do not need to be at a ‘breaking point’ or very unwell to see them – they can help you develop skills and tools proactively to address things before they become a problem. And, if you are eligible, your GP can help you access 10 Medicare-subsidised sessions per year through a mental health plan.
Free 24/7 crisis counselling is offered through Lifeline (13 11 14) and Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636).
13YARNÂ (13 92 76) also offers a free, confidential and culturally safe helpline where you can yarn with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.
If you feel unsafe, you’re worried about someone else’s immediate safety, or you feel a life is in danger call 000.
Find more resources, programs and peer support from across NDSS. For young people, our Diabetes Youth Zone is a go-to guide with useful resources, tips and advice for managing diabetes with confidence.
Anxiety is often a healthy response to a perceived threat. For most people, anxious feelings go away after the threat has passed. There are many things you can do to reduce your anxiety.
Most people with diabetes manage well most of the time. But it is okay to acknowledge if you are struggling. Many people benefit from specialist emotional support from a psychologist.