One of the most difficult things to come to terms with is that diabetes is for life. In the weeks and months after being diagnosed with diabetes emotions are often pushed to one side as you try to get to grips with new treatments and changing your lifestyle. Everyone reacts differently when they hear the news that they have diabetes. You may be initially overwhelmed, shocked, afraid, angry and anxious. Over time it is likely that, as you take more control, you will become more confident in your ability to cope with everyday activities and the initial turmoil you may have felt should start to fade. Your healthcare team is there to give you emotional support, reassurance and help you to build your confidence in coping with diabetes. You can also get a lot of support and encouragement from other people with diabetes - Diabetes UK voluntary groups and Care Support Events give you the chance to hear how others cope in similar situations.
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My family want to help, what can I tell them?
Families can be a great source of help and support. All family relationships are different and sometimes complex so you may want to spend some time thinking about how much and what information or feelings you’d like to share.
If you are at risk of hypos, it’s important that they know what to do should one occur when you’re with them. You might also like to tell them why buying you diabetic chocolates, Easter eggs and so on is a nice thought but not a good idea!
