Type one and social issues

[icylilies]

Hi all!

Okay so I am a type one diabetic and I have some issues. I'm nearly 16 so time to start GCSE's. But over the last 6months I have been kinda on a rocky patch. I think I'll just list my problems.
- At easter i stopped taking insulin for a month, i believed the sickness and pain would make me feel better without the scars of cutting. Lately I have been in denial of my diabetes.
-This came around the time of the departure of a very well loved and treasured friend. I had been friends with him since I was 12 and due to him suffering from an alcohol addiction and other things we stopped talking.
- I lost every single friend I had made at my school. I dont have a childhood friend or anything. My friends started going out without me and ignoring me.
- I have psychaitric issues. In a development of having no friends and being bullied at my primary school i developed three main voices and two lesser voices with hallucinations and paranoia. I have seen professionals but i am not a danger to myself or others so no medication is required.
- I'm easily depressed lately

I don't want to go back to my school now. I don't think i can cope eoth my diabetes or the social rollercoaster.

Any suggestions on ways forward?

 

[Thundercat]

Hi there! I'm so sorry everything is so hard for you now. It would be a lot to deal with at any age but at 16 it must seem so much harder. A lot of people with diabetes, me among them, go through stages of denial, anger and frustration with the condition. Psychiatric and emotional issues add to this. All is not lost so don't despair. Have you spoken to a professional about your feelings? I know it can seem easier and safer to keep it in but the effect of just laying it all out there and unburdening yourself can by itself make a huge difference. I know it can sound patronising to say that you are young and that it can and will get better with the right help and support but ot is true. I am not trying to talk down to you. My heart goes out to you. I remember how I was at 16 and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I am 40 now and have lived to tell the tale and would never have believed at your age that I could feel like I do now, but here I am - out the other side.You will find masses of suppport here along with help and advise.

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[Patch13]

Hi.

Sorry you are having such a poo time.
Thundercat is absolutely right that denial is part of the acceptance process (for most if not all people). I found it very difficult to come to terms with my diagnosis even though to the outside world I probably looked like it was under control (except if they looked at my blood sugar results, or lack thereof).

It's great that you've posted on the forum as people here will understand you're feelings surrounding diabetes and hopefully can reassure you or provide you with helpful tips.

I would suggest going back to your doctor and really telling them all the problems. If you don't think you can verbally explain how you are feeling then perhaps print this off or write them down for the doctor to read. They should be able to refer you to a counselling service or something similar. Even if you've used such a service before it sounds like it could benefit you now too - to help you accept diabetes, the loss of a friend and how to deal with the voices.

I hope that has been reassuring / helpful.


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[Juicyj]

Hey hun,

Diabetes isnt easy to deal with at any age, but sounds to me like you need some support right now. Please dont ignore your diabetes, as hard as it might be if you dont keep up with your blood checks and insulin it's going to really make things alot worse - when your control gets worse it affects everything including your mental state, think of it as walking a tightrope, it's all good when your balancing everything but as soon as you tip it will throw everything off.

Start by writing stuff down - what your thinking, how your reacting and why you feel the way you do, the paranoia is just something you either need help with or through the strength of your own mind you can control - personally I believe everyone thinks about themselves so much they arent thinking about you, so you need to get over this, I went through a period once of being paranoid until I became convinced that everyone was so self obsessed that they only cared about themselves - bit of reverse psychology !

True friends will love you and want to be with you, you also make alot of friends in your lifetime, most care about themselves but real ones will care about you. Right now start by being your own best mate and getting control of your blood sugars before you become really unwell.

It's good you can talk on here about it - so it shows you want to be heard and you can talk about it - what about your DSN ? or your parents ? can you talk to them ?

We're here if you need to off load - we all have to at some point, and please remember it does get better xxx

 

[Snodger]

this really reminded me of bad times I have had in the past too.

People have given good advice already and I wanted to add something about the psychological side - there is stuff done in the Netherlands where they worked with people hearing voices and found that it's much more common than UK psychiatrists think. They were trying to find ways to help people accept them and live with them as part of normal life (them=the voices) instead of treating it like there was something wrong. Might be worth looking for- there is a book about this in English which I think is called Accepting Voices.

How are things now? Has it helped at all to put it down in a post?

PS Juicyj, your comment about everyone else being really self obsessed is so true!