Help me on my mission?

aaronjunited

BANNED
Messages
35
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Tomatoes
I am on a mission to understand the relation between type 1 diabetes and mental health along with eating disorders. These are all my life experiences and I wish to help others as well as broaden my knowledge as I go on this journey to improve management of overall health and wellbeing.

I have really poor management of my diabetes since being diagnosed around 6 years ago. This is mostly down to my mental health being poor also. I have really bad binge eating problems also and this in turn as you can imagine leads to all sorts of problems. I am on this mission and I wish for you to follow me. So if you can please like my facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/thementallyilldiabetic/ it would help to generate some interest in starting some projects and campaigns in order to improve the NHS services/treatments for mental health and diabetes.

Thanks folks. I do encourage you to ask questions and send your ideas my way in terms of what you would like to know about mental health and diabetes and which problems do you encounter yourself? Which alternative treatments have you considered or have experience with? Please let's discuss these things.
 

scottw

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I'd like to try to help you. I don't know much about eating disorders but I do suffer from and am treated for; thyroid disease, anxiety and depression and have been a T1D for 37 years since age 25.
What I learned about diabetes scared the daylights out of me when diagnosed. I was, have been, and am determined not to; go blind, lose my limbs, be strapped to a dialysis machine, have excruciating pain in my extremities, develop premature heart disease or stroke out.
When diagnosed I was an uneducated drunk, homeless, bankrupt, and unemployed. However, since that time, through hard work, determination, and luck I got a college degree, became a Professional Engineer, got and stay married, raised 2 beautiful children, and practiced my chosen profession for 26 years. I'm proud of what I've done. Diabetes did not cheat me out of a life.
It has beaten me up though. Thousands of insulin reactions, tens of thousands of injections, blood tests and exercise, wild swings in blood sugars, anxiety about blood sugars, depressed about not being able to act, eat, socialize, or work without putting my disease first.
The question I have to ask you is what's the alternative. I'ts not like the complications will simply end your existence. Long term complications are; painful, isolating, debilitating, drawn out, and will cause you to live off the mercy of others. I've seen T1D people that quit on life by the time they were your age. Accepting blindness by 30. People running A1C's of 9% and saying "but what can I do". T2's in their 50's who can't see well enough to drive or read. I've worked at it diligently and fortunately have avoided all of those to date..
This disease is a bear but the evidence is in. and we can significantly reduce our risk of complications by; learning, taking care of ourselves, exercising, eating right and forever working to control our blood sugars.
We have lives worth living. The choice is yours!
 

Maggie/Magpie

Well-Known Member
Messages
279
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Butternut Squash, Cabbage and confrontation.
Hi.
I'm not a face book person, in fact I avoid it like the plaque, but I will have a look at your page as I have been a depressive now for 14 years and now try to help others with depression through creating art, so it is very close to my heart as it were.
Maggie
 
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Brookers

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I am on a mission to understand the relation between type 1 diabetes and mental health along with eating disorders. These are all my life experiences and I wish to help others as well as broaden my knowledge as I go on this journey to improve management of overall health and wellbeing.

I have really poor management of my diabetes since being diagnosed around 6 years ago. This is mostly down to my mental health being poor also. I have really bad binge eating problems also and this in turn as you can imagine leads to all sorts of problems. I am on this mission and I wish for you to follow me. So if you can please like my facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/thementallyilldiabetic/ it would help to generate some interest in starting some projects and campaigns in order to improve the NHS services/treatments for mental health and diabetes.

Thanks folks. I do encourage you to ask questions and send your ideas my way in terms of what you would like to know about mental health and diabetes and which problems do you encounter yourself? Which alternative treatments have you considered or have experience with? Please let's discuss these things.

Hi, Sorry, I'm not one for Facebook either (sceptical of that too!!) so hope this reaches you (others) nonetheless.

Thanks for sharing. I have had very similar difficulties - although my binging has put down to my life-long gluttony ;-) Seriously, I have experienced quite severe anxiety and depression since diagnosis over five years ago. Only recently have I attributed this to Type-1 rather than everything else which fell apart as a result.
Three things (among many) still get to me... Not knowing what physical damage is being done, knowing that it's completely unrelenting and knowing that it's all down to me! The manifestations are many - anger, frustration, clumsiness, anxiety, poor concentration, low self esteem etc etc. To counter all this all I have is an an endless stream of needles, which just feels like self-harm in itself !! It's tough and very complex to manage 'effectively' and I recon that no-one here would criticise anyone with diabetes for letting it get to them - and it does. Anyone without diabetes can't possibly understand, which has lead to some isolation for me also.
Until recently, I've had to be exceptionally hard on myself in order to change my 40-year-old eating habits. I've also had to insist that others do not do anything different when socialising. Diabetes is no longer mentioned which is better for me than feeling 'different'. Sugar is completely out and fat intake lowered (both increase my blood sugars and cannot be managed with insulin). I rely on a small portion of carbs three times a day and dose up the insulin to match the carb count (the 'Carbs and Cals' app is great for this). I do my best, but could always do better and that's just it... how hard am I prepared to be before that has a detrimental effect?! It's a constant balancing act... no easy answers. I find myself binging every couple of weeks just to bring back some joy ;-)
Anyway, two things have definitely helped me - restored some self esteem and confidence as well. I was very highly sceptical about both until I gave them a fair crack of the whip. Firstly, I took up the recommendation from a Parkinsons patient who recommended daily, 20 minute Mindfulness meditation - in the privacy on my home where I don't have to worry about being self conscious. It really helps to stop my mind churning over the negatives. I saw major improvements in my general outlook after just three weeks and I'm now far more focussed on managing my condition and confident in what I can achieve in spite of it (I've started mountain biking again and been snowboarding - I'm in my mid 40's for heavens sake!). Downloads available for audio guides and a good book is available also by Jon Kabatt-Zinn (sorry, no advert intended). Secondly, I recently read that St John's Wort (natural remedy) has been used to treat anxiety since Tudor times (must be something in it if it's lasted that long!). Tablets are available without prescription from health food shops. Very early days for me and still a bit wary of any reliances, but it seems to be working. Breathing was much easier/deeper within a couple of days and I'm sleeping so well now - first time in several years. Of course, I would recommend you seek GP advice before taking any pills though - disclaimer ;-)
I'm also considering seeking advice from MIND, the chance to talk to someone frankly about the emotional roller coaster ride would certainly help. That will probably be my next port of call.

That was a bit long-winded. Apologies. Just hope there's something there which may help in some way...

I share your sentiment, Aaron, let's get it out there and share experiences... options are more likely to be found in the multitude of personal experiences than in the limited resources and constraints of the health system. To be fair, my NHS nurse does ask if I have experienced any anxiety - credit where it's due. Good luck with the Facebook angle...

Best wishes to all ... [sincerely]
 

Munkaroo

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi,I was diagnosed with having type 1 and anxiety.I stopped the treatment but I just read your reply.All I know is life what we make of it.I’ve had it for 29 years.I never go without taking insulin and checking my blood sugar daily..