LiveFree with T1D

Diabetes burnout. It’s a term we throw around all the time.

But what does diabetes burnout really mean? And maybe even more importantly, what does diabetes NOT mean. There are many myths about burnout and T1D, and these myths are not doing us any favors.

On this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist podcast, I talk about five of the most common myths about diabetes burnout. I give you some background about where these myths come from and show you evidence that these myths are not valid. I’ll also give you some tips and resources to help you navigate T1D burnout.

Ready to get unstuck in your life with T1D? Click HERE to get your FREE guide on how to get unstuck and be more free and flexible in your life with T1D.

Find out more about The Diabetes Psychologist at www.thediabetespsychologist.com and on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist.

There's no way around it. T1D is stressful All the work, the erratic blood sugars, the inconsiderate comments from people in your life are less than fun.

You can use this stress to your advantage!

On this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist podcast, we look at T1D-related stress from a whole new angle. First, we'll take a closer look at what stress is and what it is about T1D that causes stress. Then we'll talk about three specific ways you can turn the stress of T1D on its head, and use it to your advantage.

Find out more about The Diabetes Psychologist at www.thediabetespsychologist.com and on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist.

People with T1D feel stuck.

T1D gets in the way and makes it difficult for you to do the things that are important to you. You feel like T1D holds you back, which only makes life with T1D even more stressful.

In this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist podcast, I talk about what it means to feel stuck because of T1D and why feeling stuck is such a big challenge. Then I outline the four reasons why T1D is keeping you stuck. 

For more information on how to get unstuck with T1D, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com/getunstuck.

Find out more about The Diabetes Psychologist at www.thediabetespsychologist.com and on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist.

We know mental health support should be an integral part of treatment for T1D. But what does this really mean?

If we only think about mental health support and treatment as sitting in a therapist's office once a week, we are doing everyone with T1D a great disservice. We have to get creative and think outside the box when addressing the mental health needs of people with T1D.

On this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist podcast, I talk about how we can reimagine mental health treatment support for people with T1D. I take a deep dive into what people with T1D really need and how they can get their mental health needs met without therapy.

Here are some of the resources I talked about in this episode:

Think Like a Pancreas

Bright Spots and Landmines

Taking Control of Your Diabetes

College Diabetes Network

Beyond Type 1

Tu Diabetes

Find out more about The Diabetes Psychologist at www.thediabetespsychologist.com and on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist.

Have you ever thought that taking a medication for depression anxiety might help you, but then you thought again because you were worried about how these drugs might impact your blood sugars? Or maybe you don't like the thought of taking another medication, even if it could help you.

On this episode of The Diabetes Psychologist podcast, I talk to an expert about psych meds and T1D. My guest is Dr. Roy Collins. Dr. Roy is a resident physician at Stanford University, and he has been living with type 1 diabetes since he was 13 years old.

Dr. Roy answers all your questions about psych meds and type 1 diabetes, including when they might be right for you and how these medications impact your blood sugars. Dr. Roy also gives some great advice on how to find a psychiatrist who gets T1D.

You can find Dr. Roy on Instagram @dr.royc on on the web at www.roycollinsmd.com.

Find out more about The Diabetes Psychologist at www.thediabetespsychologist.com and on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist.

Telling someone you just started dating that you have T1D can be scary!

When do you tell someone you're dating that you have T1D?

People tend to overthink everything in new relationships. When to introduce your new partner to T1D can definitely be one of those things. You may worry they'll see you differently when they find out, or worse, the news you have T1D will extinguish any sparks they feel in the relationship.

The fact you have T1D probably won't bother most people you're dating. And if telling someone you have T1D makes them see you differently, the relationship probably has bigger issues.

In this episode, Genna talks about how, in the past, she has been self-conscious about telling the men she has dated that she has T1D. She just started dating someone and is looking for help with how to talk honestly about T1D with her new beau. Dr. Mark coaches Genna on how she can let her new boyfriend know that T1D is part of her life but not something that defines her. 

Find out more about The Diabetes Psychologist at www.thediabetespsychologist.com and on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist.

Type 1 diabetes doesn't know race, it doesn't know your economic status, and it doesn't know where you are from.

We don't live in a bubble with T1D. Everyone living with T1D has a story, with different experiences and backgrounds they bring to their life with diabetes. Everybody's story is going to be different, and everybody's story matters.

In this episode, I talk to Brandon A. Denson about the unique mental health challenges for people with T1D from underserved communities. Brandon grew up in Detroit and walked on the Michigan State football team after being diagnosed with T1D when he was seventeen. He has made it his mission to ensure everyone with T1D has the education, support, and resources they need to thrive.

Brandon is a co-founder of Bolus Maximus, a non-profit organization focused on creating safe spaces for men and people from underserved communities who live with T1D.

You can find Brandon on Instagram @brandon.a.denson.

You can find Bolus Maximus on Instagram @bolus.maximus or on the web at https://www.bolusm.org.

Find out more about The Diabetes Psychologist at www.thediabetespsychologist.com and on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist.

Resilience is the key to psychological health with T1D.

We all know that living with T1D is not always easy, and sometimes it can be downright challenging. We all want to strive to bounce back from these challenges and become stronger in the process.

My guest on this episode is Asha Brown. Asha is the Founder and Executive Director of We Are Diabetes, a non-profit organization that offers hope and support to people with T1D-related eating disorders. This episode is about so much more than eating disorders. It is full of lessons everyone with T1D can use to build a foundation of psychological strength and resilience

You can find out more about Asha and We Are Diabetes at www.wearediabetes.org.

Find out more about The Diabetes Psychologist at www.thediabetespsychologist.com and on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist.

Every time I give a presentation to people with T1D or health care providers, I start by talking about all the reasons why living with T1D is so stressful. I tell them about the constant work, the complex thinking involved, and the fact that there are no breaks and no vacations from T1D.

I describe T1D as having a second job.

This is a great story, and it captures some of the challenges of living with T1D. But I've realized that talking about T1D as a second job is the wrong way to characterize it. It makes life with T1D feel hopeless. Comparing T1D to a second job sets an expectation that you will always be stressed and that T1D has control over your life.

In this episode, Dr. Mark points out some downsides of talking about T1D like a job. Yes, T1D is going to be stressful at times. But Dr. Mark explains why talking about T1D as a job traps you into believing that diabetes must involve constant work and stress.

Then Dr. Mark suggests some other ways to think about T1D that are more realistic and better set you up for mental success.

Find out more about The Diabetes Psychologist at www.thediabetespsychologist.com and on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist.

If you want to live well with T1D, you have to come to a place of acceptance.

Accepting T1D is a journey. Acceptance doesn't mean you like diabetes or that you want to have it. But it does mean putting your guard down and doing your best to live well with the hand you've been dealt. The opposite of acceptance is avoidance. And we all know avoiding diabetes never turns out well.

In this episode, Basma Adams talks about her journey to acceptance with T1D. When she was younger, Basma did everything she could to hide her diabetes from other people. She soon realized that hiding diabetes made her think about diabetes even more. Once she was able to accept diabetes, life got a whole lot easier for her. She found her passion and made T1D her superpower.

You can find Basma on Instagram @bastheboss.

Find out more about The Diabetes Psychologist at www.thediabetespsychologist.com and on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist.