The Key to Accepting T1D

‘I hate diabetes so much. I just want to be able to accept the fact that I have T1D’

These were the first words out of Emily’s mouth when she walked into my office. She agonized over how she’s having such a hard time being ok with having T1D. Everyone she sees on social media seems like they have accepted their diabetes. Emily was desperate to figure out how to get there too.

Acceptance is hard

I think accepting diabetes is one of the most difficult challenges people with T1D have to face. Nobody wants T1D – it is an annoyance and a burden. It has taken your old life from you and given you a new life full of highs and lows. Acceptance means being ok with all these things.

The Key: Ask the right question

Maybe ‘how do I accept diabetes?’ is the wrong question to be asking. The word accept sounds like you have to embrace T1D, which is a tall order.

Maybe a better question is, how do I stop resisting diabetes?

If your goal is to embrace diabetes, then continue your quest for acceptance. But if you are like most people, your goal is simply not to let diabetes get in the way of living your life.

It is not your lack of acceptance of T1D that’s getting in your way. It’s the energy you spend resisting it. When you stop resisting T1D, you put your guard down and stop fighting it. It doesn’t mean you like T1D, or you want it in your life. It means you’ll have more energy to focus on what’s important to you.

When you stop resisting T1D, you’ll find what you are looking for – flexibility and freedom.