{"id":13595,"date":"2014-08-19T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-08-19T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diabete.qc.ca\/coping-with-a-diabetes-diagnosis\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T12:49:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T16:49:35","slug":"coping-with-a-diabetes-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.diabete.qc.ca\/en\/diabetes\/diabetes-management\/well-being-and-mental-health\/coping-with-a-diabetes-diagnosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Coping with a diabetes diagnosis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As with other chronic diseases, a diabetes diagnosis means that your health is impaired, and your future health is threatened by the medium- and long-term complications associated with the disease. This \u201csword of Damocles\u201d hanging over your head can be very stressful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stress can impact your diabetes control due to the effect of stress hormones on blood glucose (sugar) levels or even to poor stress-management strategies<\/a> or behaviours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A responsibility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, you are directly responsible for the complicated, demanding and chronic treatment of your diabetes, which can require major changes to your daily habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On one hand, you have the power to change the course of your disease; on the other, you are burdened with this enormous responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A blow to your self-esteem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Diabetes can also weaken your self-esteem, which can be compounded by the discrimination you might face at work, when you apply for insurance or a driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The adjustement process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The process of adjusting to the stress of diabetes happens in 5 stages, similar to the stages of mourning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The better you understands your diabetes and its treatment, the less fearful and accepting you will be, and the more involved in your treatment and diabetes control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Denial<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Denial, refusing to even acknowledge the existence of the diabetes, its chronic nature or the necessity of treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, not me!\u201d \u201cThere must be some mistake.\u201d \u201cThis is just a temporary rise in my blood sugar; I will get better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Resistance and rebellion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Awareness of the real, serious and chronic nature of diabetes raises anxiety levels and causes anger and rebellion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeling powerless and pessimistic about being able to properly adjust to the diabetes and its requirements<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy me?\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s not fair; everyone else is in such good health!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hidden beneath this anger is often sadness, fear, impotence and feelings of isolation. Don\u2019t hesitate to express your feelings to a health care professional you trust, or seek support from family, friends or other people with diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Bargaining<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Partial acceptance of the treatment but bargaining about which treatment elements to accept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOK to injections or tablets, but no to exercise\u2026 I still have to have a life! \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Self-assessment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

High anxiety levels: self-assessment and hyper vigilance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A perfectionist approach to treatment. Intensely anxious about occasional deviations from target blood glucose (sugar) values, limiting social activities to minimize such deviations, eventual depression and exhaustion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy diabetes control has to be perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate level of anxiety: self-assessment and receptiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A positive attitude, accepts useful information to better understand and control the diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI will see what I can do to better control and live with my diabetes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Active acceptance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Awareness that you can cope with your diabetes by taking an active part in your treatment while feeling well psychologically and having a satisfactory social life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDiabetes isn\u2019t a problem anymore because I can control it.\u201d \u201cI am living well, with diabetes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An individualized path<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The work of acceptance and adjustment does not necessarily happen in this specific chronological order. Also, the duration of each stage depends on a number of factors specific to you and your environment. Some people are able to work through to acceptance within a year of their diagnosis, while others may deny or resist their diabetic condition for many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, the work of acceptance is never done. Some days are harder than others and new challenges (switching from oral medication to insulin injections, diagnosis of a complication, stressful situations entirely unrelated to the diabetes, etc.) may arise, provoking reactions from earlier stages and thus reactivating the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One step toward change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Accepting your condition is already a step in the right direction, even before you take any action. Learn more about the stages of change and the tricks you can use to change your lifestyle habits to live better with diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Resources for you<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Documents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n