Counselling and Diabetes?

if you had asked me when I was first diagnosed 27yrs ago I would've said no need for it, but I have been lucky with dealing with it. But now I would say yes diabetes specific counselling is a good idea. I've hit the wall with mine, sick of it all and would happily chuck everything (insulin, pump, medications, testing kits) in the bin and deal with the fall out when I'm gone. But we can't can we? I think it's the relentless nature of it, and even though my care team are good, it's the "not understanding" of the relentless, day to day checking of it that they don't really get.
I think it's a good idea to have a diabetes specific counselling, so that newly diagnosed or sometime in, can have help to cope with it.

Hello. I am actually waiting for a counselling appointment since early August. A dietician recognised where I was and put in the request but they're obviously snowed under.
I agree, the relentlessness of diabetes can be difficult but I am also dealing with extras of lichen sclerosis, a hiatus hernia and diverticular disease and a trigger thumb which probably needs operating on. Many of which are exacerbated by diabetes. The constant thinking of what is good for my health is getting me down. So yes please, offer counselling for anyone who needs it.

Hi
I was diagnozed with depression several years ago and the explanation by my GP was thus......

Diabetes is classed as a chronic illness and the more chronic illnesses you have the more likely you are to suffer with depression.
I have been type 1 for 50 years
Coeliac sufferer for 15 years
Bile Acid Malabsorption sufferer for 15 years

All chronic illnesses as is depression itself.

I was put on anti depressants.

Would counselling been a better idea at the time?

Just saying....

Good luck everyone

Tony

Tony337 said:

Hi
I was diagnozed with depression several years ago and the explanation by my GP was thus......

Diabetes is classed as a chronic illness and the more chronic illnesses you have the more likely you are to suffer with depression.
I have been type 1 for 50 years
Coeliac sufferer for 15 years
Bile Acid Malabsorption sufferer for 15 years

All chronic illnesses as is depression itself.

I was put on anti depressants.

Would counselling been a better idea at the time?

Just saying....

Good luck everyone

Tony

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I totally agree.
I have just started my third counselling run. I have had to wait three months for this!
Unfortunately, all counselling servicing are snowed under.
There are not enough counsellors

It is known with diabetes and other endocrine conditions such as diabetes, whatever the type. Symptoms of depression and anxiety are there. Not everyone gets it.

Find someone you can talk to without judgement and with trust not to talk about it!
Finding a path to be more positive.But
And if needs be, get in touch with any organisation of charity that supports mental health issues.
Do not just give up. If you want to rant to ahead, that can help, I have done it myself.
No one knows who you are on this site and doesn't give out any personal information.

My best wishes. Stay safe.

SassyJ said:

Hi, im really struggling at moment with being on insulin. All started with getting covid in 2021, pneumonia and steroids later sugars sky high. Was struggling with hba1c of 89 (from 177 in hospital

) started me on various meds. Now on daily insulin and victoza- poor legs and stomach. It's the trying to get my head around it all and feeling like I have let myself down. I work in healthcare so feel like everyone thinks I 'get it' . But I don't. Think it would so help to have that support group to get help. Doesn't help that I'm menopausal and still struggling with long covid.
Many thanks.

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I feel for you. It's often the lack of understanding from others that undoes you isn't it? Do try and take care of yourself and above all be kind to yourself. My wonderful doctor (now retired) used to ask me how 'my' diabetes was doing. He understood that it was a different condition for everyone so treated us as individuals. Treatment was a joint decision. But give yourself a hug. You deserve it.

Molly56 said:

@catherinecherub....will add this to my list of potential support, thank you.

A recent visit to my GP for myself suggested a local counselling service in our area and also contacting the local community diabetes team (mentioned recently in another of my threads in diabetes discussions) but the UK Careline is certainly another route to consider if I don't get any joy with what is offered by my local NHS team.

Will look it up later and perhaps give them a call, thanks

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Hi. I was referred by a dietitian to the mental health support service but after their initial assessment given a rating of mild depression and referred to the counselling service. That was in August but no joy yet and as I've since had a bowel cancer scare and a diagnosis of diverticular disease I really could do with a bit of support.

I agree, I’m type 2, there needs more support, there’s nothing where I live. I was diagnosed 12 years ago, and I still struggle a lot, it’s very demanding this disease I’m actually quite surprised there is t counselling diabetes specific. Not just a counsellor that knows nothing about diabetes, but one who has been trained just for people who live with diabetes of all kinds. And there needs grief support to diabetes specific. There is a good YouTube videos, it’s called Behavioural Diabetes.com that’s the website and the videos are on YouTube. It touches base on the emotional side of diabetes. But not a real counselling base. This is from the US. There needs to be way more done for us folks. I don’t find any Doctor very helpful. I tried that route when first diagnosed he kind of brushed me off when I was overwhelmed and in tears and put me on antidepressants and anxiety med, which I look back now and that is not what I needed at all. And still trying to get off these meds and not an easy road. People with diabetes need a listening ear and compassion and empathy. It’s a very exhausting and challenging disease. I feel I’ve had burn out, and distress numerous times through these 12 years from this trying disease. I think if there isn’t more change we’re going to have some pretty awful outcomes. It needs to be addressed all over the world. More help, more support, and yes a Diabetes psychologist or councillor that’s trained in all the issues we go through.

I'm a definite vote for yes, however, as someone who also is a late diagnosed autistic, I have found that learning that about my mind made a huge difference to how I felt about my years of diabetes management (type 1 diagnosis was age 5, autistic diagnosis was early 30s) and how things were working out. Like, so much stuff make so much more sense!

For example, it's common for autistic people to be prone to issues with anxiety because we don't fit in the world as well as allistic/neurotypical people, and that in turn, means that likely hormones like cortisol release more often if so, and so that can potentially make the diabetes management harder overall. Don't get me wrong, I know we're all fighting an unfair fight and odds are stacked against us even without factoring stress response stuff, but yeah, it was something that I picked up on over the years. We need to be kind to ourselves and remember we are fighting an unfair thing and doing the job of an organ that either isn't working at all properly anymore or is struggling to function.

Another thing I found was typical mental health services were not designed effectively for autistic people like me, which explained all my poor experiences. Finding a private neurodivergent (and likely autistic too) therapist was like night and day in comparison. Even MIND turn autistic people away!

Much love to you all and I'm proud of you all fighting the good fight!