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Juggling Diabetes & Mental Health

LeftPeg

LeftPeg

Well-Known Member
Messages
210
Location
Gateshead
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Conflict
Finding it really hard to motivate myself to manage my diabetes. I start out each day with good intentions, but end up giving up and eating all the wrong things. I know I'm shortening my life and risking awful complications, but I'm just so miserable and can't seem to get a grip on myself. Anyone else get like this?
 
Hello @LeftPeg

Sounds like you're trapped in a vicious circle of behaviour - have you asked your GP if you could get some support with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy ? This treatment helps to reprogram your thinking which will help you break the cycle of behaviour. Do you live with others or alone ? is there any one at home you can talk to ? Also clean your cupboards out at home, if temptation exists then you will never win, try and add some exercise into your day too, this helps keep serotonin levels up and keeps mood lifted so will keep you motivated to avoid temptation, remember each new day is a new day and a fresh start but the motivation and behavioural changes need to come from you.
 
Juicyj said:
Hello @LeftPeg

Sounds like you're trapped in a vicious circle of behaviour - have you asked your GP if you could get some support with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy ? This treatment helps to reprogram your thinking which will help you break the cycle of behaviour. Do you live with others or alone ? is there any one at home you can talk to ? Also clean your cupboards out at home, if temptation exists then you will never win, try and add some exercise into your day too, this helps keep serotonin levels up and keeps mood lifted so will keep you motivated to avoid temptation, remember each new day is a new day and a fresh start but the motivation and behavioural changes need to come from you.
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Thanks Juicyj.

I did have a course of CBT some years ago but did not find it helpful. I've had the most success with a mix of medication (which I remain on), exercise (I walk 10k steps most days) and reducing stress in my day-to-day life.

Unfortunately, the latter of those is a problem. I have a very stressful job which I need to maintain because I have a lot of outgoings (including child support), and I need the large salary to keep afloat. The reason I guess I don't go to the doctor is that there's very little they can do about that.

Food has always been a bit of a crutch for me, and having the foods I like taken off the plate so to speak does not help, but I recognise the necessity of it.

I guess I'm just in a funk and have to keep ploughing on and hope things get better.

Sorry for being a misery.
 
Would writing a food diary help? I find actually seeing what and when I am eating written down in black and white focusses my attention. It also helps to work out what to omit completely or substitute.
 
I might give that a whirl @Dr Snoddy

I've had a bit of good news this morning. My eye review (the first in nearly 3 years) came back all clear. It's been a source of low-level anxiety for a while, so hopefully I can use this slice of luck to give myself a kick up the **** diet wise.
 
LeftPeg said:
Thanks Juicyj.

I did have a course of CBT some years ago but did not find it helpful. I've had the most success with a mix of medication (which I remain on), exercise (I walk 10k steps most days) and reducing stress in my day-to-day life.

Unfortunately, the latter of those is a problem. I have a very stressful job which I need to maintain because I have a lot of outgoings (including child support), and I need the large salary to keep afloat. The reason I guess I don't go to the doctor is that there's very little they can do about that.

Food has always been a bit of a crutch for me, and having the foods I like taken off the plate so to speak does not help, but I recognise the necessity of it.

I guess I'm just in a funk and have to keep ploughing on and hope things get better.

Sorry for being a misery.
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Please don't apologise for your feelings! I think it is good to aknowledge them and maybe admit that you feel that way.
For me, a former self medicator (with carbs), I did the food diary thing (food, mood and sleep were captured) and had enough counelling to see the obvious link. I didn't think I could or would, ever feel different. And you are right that there are some things we can't change re the stressors.
Anyway taking a bit more time to eat those 'treats' and thinking about how I felt before and afterwards was useful in that eventually I no longer got any comfort from them. I also made sure I ate great food 90% of the time so was never physically hungry.
If ;you continue to be a carb addict unfortunately you will always be white knuckling it aka 'trying to be good' in a world and a season which encourages this kind of addiction.
The Carb Addiction Doctor (Robert Cywres) uses this way of thinking about it and has overcome this problem himself with some great practical tips.
I like Elizabeth Benton of Primal Potential (also wrote Chasing Cupcakes and Tricks from the Trenches) if you can bear her strong accent!
Remember if you need oodles of motivation to stick to a low carb lifestyle then something isn't right i.e. perhaps you don't want to give up the 'crutch' or right now you are just not ready?
 
LeftPeg said:
Sorry for being a misery.
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Honestly you don't need to apologise here, no one's here to judge. Off loading mentally can help ease things, unfortunately food can become a nightmare crutch to lean on when you're dealing with anxiety. I am just throwing things out there as I don't know you personally but have you tried mindful eating ? It's just a case of sitting at a table and with no distractions at all and focussing on the food being eaten, it sometimes help to make eating food a ritual to enjoy rather than a necessity and helps stop the cravings, as I said before clean your cupboards out and get rid of the rubbish stuff. Food can be a joyful experience even low carb, it's about learning about flavours and ingredients, DietDoctor is a good source of inspiration.

Also don't beat yourself up, life is hard enough without giving ourselves hell !
 
Yerp have been there, worn the t shirt (out) and still there. Have good days and truly awful days. Exercise helps me with my bg and helps with my mental health. CBT didn't work for me - I just trudge along hitting brick walls in a hope that I will master my mental health. Advised to take meds but for me its not addressing the complexed problems that I have. The pandemic has left me somewhat vindicated. I am just floating at the moment :wacky:
 
Lainie71 said:
Yerp have been there, worn the t shirt (out) and still there. Have good days and truly awful days. Exercise helps me with my bg and helps with my mental health. CBT didn't work for me - I just trudge along hitting brick walls in a hope that I will master my mental health. Advised to take meds but for me its not addressing the complexed problems that I have. The pandemic has left me somewhat vindicated. I am just floating at the moment :wacky:
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Low carb helps me though :facepalm:
 
LeftPeg said:
Finding it really hard to motivate myself to manage my diabetes. I start out each day with good intentions, but end up giving up and eating all the wrong things. I know I'm shortening my life and risking awful complications, but I'm just so miserable and can't seem to get a grip on myself. Anyone else get like this?
Click to expand...

This is my daily struggle, I lost my fiancé to liver cancer in May 2020, she was 35. Every day since has been a struggle, I was diagnosed Type 2 in June 2021 and my HbA1c was 89, by this point I was ready to give up on life, I already had high blood pressure which I'd just gotten under control, and changing diet etc seemed too impossible to achieve, and I felt incapable of being able to change, but, I just kept trying regardless.

I started Metformin straight away, 500mg twice daily, and after trying various 'diets' I focused on low carbs, this made it much easier to choose foods, I took regular walks, going even when I didn't want to, and in September 2021 my HbA1c was down to 54 and I'd lost almost 1 stone in weight.

The daily struggle is always there, and some days I completely fail, but I approach every day as a new day, and every day is a new chance to change my life.

So please, don't give up, keep trying, you can do this!
 
the_lorne_ranger said:
This is my daily struggle, I lost my fiancé to liver cancer in May 2020, she was 35. Every day since has been a struggle, I was diagnosed Type 2 in June 2021 and my HbA1c was 89, by this point I was ready to give up on life, I already had high blood pressure which I'd just gotten under control, and changing diet etc seemed too impossible to achieve, and I felt incapable of being able to change, but, I just kept trying regardless.

I started Metformin straight away, 500mg twice daily, and after trying various 'diets' I focused on low carbs, this made it much easier to choose foods, I took regular walks, going even when I didn't want to, and in September 2021 my HbA1c was down to 54 and I'd lost almost 1 stone in weight.

The daily struggle is always there, and some days I completely fail, but I approach every day as a new day, and every day is a new chance to change my life.

So please, don't give up, keep trying, you can do this!
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Sorry for your loss.

I'm making it my new years resolution to sort out my blood sugars.
 
LeftPeg said:
Finding it really hard to motivate myself to manage my diabetes. I start out each day with good intentions, but end up giving up and eating all the wrong things. I know I'm shortening my life and risking awful complications, but I'm just so miserable and can't seem to get a grip on myself. Anyone else get like this?
Click to expand...

YES! I was so focused when i was first diagnosed and almost made remission, then 'life happened; in ways that left me so. despondent. I know what to do, and I know how, but am still struggling to actually do it.
 
I'm currently getting counselling, for free, as part of my ongoing battle with trauma (complex PTSD) - I've had CBT (EMDR) for the main trauma problems a few years ago but still have stress related eating issues that made staying on low carb tough. CBT didn't help with this at all!
I am finding the person-centred counselling more helpful for my residual comfort eating issues.
 
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