7 Skills You Need to Reduce Your Stress with T1D

Mental health is just as important as physical health for people with T1D. You need knowledge and skills to manage your blood sugars, and you also need skills to take care of your mental health. If you work on these skills, you will see a difference in your stress and mental health with T1D!

Here they are (in alphabetical order):

Assertiveness

People in your life want to support you with T1D, but they may not know what you need. Be assertive and let them know exactly what you need. You are much more likely to get the support you want when you make your needs known and ask for the specific help you need.

Confidence

Have faith in yourself that you have the tools to deal with any stress T1D throws your way. When T1D is tough, stand tall, confident you can handle it (even if you feel like you can’t, you can!).

Critical thinking

Managing T1D can feel like you are trying to solve a giant jigsaw puzzle. It seems overwhelming, and you don’t even know where to start. However, a good strategy combined with some critical thinking can go a long way in helping make managing T1D feel more doable.

Curiosity

Sometimes, difficult T1D-related emotions feel like they come out of nowhere, making them even more confusing. Be curious about what you are feeling. If you can understand where these emotions are coming from, you’ll probably find they’re easier to handle.

Organization

Managing T1D can mean juggling lots of things at once and feel overwhelming. A little organization can go a long way in helping you feel like you can handle all the tasks of managing your blood sugars and live your life simultaneously.

Patience

There will be times when diabetes gets under your skin, and you just want these feelings to go away. The problem is, when you try to make them go away, they get worse. If you can be patient and sit with these feelings - even when they’re not comfortable - these difficult emotions will usually become easier to deal with.

Self-Care

People with T1D need to take care of themselves. Of course, you need to take insulin and get exercise, but you also need to take care of your emotional needs. Self-care is a skill you need to practice to get good at it. Give yourself permission to take the time and effort to take care of yourself, whatever that means for you right now. Your mental health will thank you for it!