Diabetes Distress

What is diabetes distress?

Diabetes distress is when the stress of managing your diabetes begins to impact your day-to-day life.

You may:

• Feel frustrated or tired
• Sense your diabetes is impacting work, home or relationships
• Feel like you’re failing when you’re doing your best

Diabetes distress is not a sign of failure; it is a normal reaction and a sign you are overwhelmed.

When diabetes distress builds up: what happens next?

If distress isn’t addressed, it can turn into diabetes burnout.

This may look like:

• Feeling emotionally drained
• Stepping back from diabetes care
• Skipping checks or appointments
• Withdrawing from support

Burnout doesn’t mean you don’t care-it means you’ve been carrying too much stress for too long.

What can you do?

The first step is to take care of your emotional wellbeing.

Some helpful things to keep in mind

• You don’t need perfect glucose levels to stay healthy.
• It is important to accept there may be times of above-target glucose levels, particularly during stressful periods
• Glucose levels are just a tool and a moment in time.
• Avoid placing any judgement on your readings. Instead of thinking your readings are ‘good’ or ‘bad’, use neutral language like ‘above’, ‘below’ or ‘in-target’

Steps that may help you

Accept your feelings

• Accept that some days will be messy. Feeling frustrated, worried or anxious are all part of a normal life.
• You can think of your mental energy like a phone battery: some days you run at 100% and other days you hit 20% before lunch. That is not failure. That’s being human. You don’t need to run on 100% all the time.
• Find what drains you (and fix it). Instead of trying to “do everything better”, identify what is causing you the most stress. Is it:
  • Food choices?
  • Monitoring?
  • Fear of complications?
  • Lack of time?

Once you know what’s draining your “battery,” you can focus on solving that specific problem. There are some checklists like the PAID (Problem Areas in Diabetes) scale that can help you identify these problem areas - available at NDSS website.

Reassess and reset your goals

If your goals feel overwhelming, it might be time to adjust them.

• Make goals realistic, specific and achievable.
• Start with small steps and build up slowly.
• Write them down - research shows you’re more likely to follow through when you have a written plan.

For example, instead of saying, “I need to exercise more,” try something specific like: “I will walk for 30 minutes a day, for 3 days a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:00–5:30 pm.”

Remember goals can change as your life changes. Reframing your goal isn’t a failure-it’s smart self-management.

Taking a break is allowed

Taking a break doesn’t mean you’re ignoring your diabetes - it means you’re giving yourself space to breathe.

• You might choose to enjoy a meal without checking your glucose level.
• You might plan a short break of a week or two where you check less often.

If you’re thinking about taking a longer break, talk to your diabetes health professional so they can help you do it safely.

Stay connected. It helps more than you think!

• Talking to someone can make a huge difference in how you feel.
• This could be a friend, a family member, or anyone who listens without judgment.
• Look into local community groups or peer support programs.

Diabetes Victoria offers peer support groups where you can meet others who understand your experience.  Find a local peer support group here.

Reach out to health professionals

• Your health care team is there for more than just your glucose levels - they’re there for you.
• Your GP can guide you to the right support if you’re feeling overwhelmed.
• You may be eligible for subsidised visits to a psychologist through a mental health care plan.
• You don’t have to carry everything alone - support is available.

The bottom line: You’re doing better than you think

Managing diabetes is demanding, and feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re failing. By recognising distress, adjusting your goals, taking breaks and reaching out for support, you can protect your emotional wellbeing.

You’re not just managing your glucose levels, you’re managing a life that includes diabetes. To look after yourself, consider your glucose levels and mental wellbeing as equally important. Looking after your mental health isn’t separate from diabetes care, it’s an important part of it.