Diabetes Burnout! What to Do If You Get It

I love publicly speaking on the topic of thriving with type 2 diabetes. Many people have come to me after I speak with the question of how I thrive and how I avoid "diabetes burnout"? This question has come up many times and I have learned that honestly, you can't avoid burnout. It is difficult to bring back that fire once burnout sets in. The key is recognizing the burnout and still doing the things you need to, despite being in burnout mode so your glucose numbers will stay in control. Anyone can get to a state of burnout. You would not be normal if you did not get burnout with managing diabetes day in and day out.

How to know if you're experiencing diabetes burnout

Some signs of burnout can be:

• Not taking medication as you use too
• Not exercising even though you know you should
• Not caring about your meal plan and eating whatever you want
• No longer checking your blood sugars and sometimes not really caring about the numbers
• Not making or keeping doctor appointments

Causes of burnout

I myself, have had burnout at least a handful of times in the many years since being diagnosed. It's hard to pull out of it, but if you recognize the signs hopefully you'll want to avoid letting burnout get the best of you.

Stress

It is important to pay attention to stress factors. At times when stressful situations come our way, it can cause the burnout effect to occur.

I remember clearly when my father-in-law died in 2010. I seriously dropped the ball for a bit not even realizing it. It was such a big loss and I was for sure stunned by his sudden loss. The sadness I felt from his loss triggered some poor habits to enter back into my life. Overeating and not paying close attention to what I was eating became a problem for me. It took about 3 weeks and some tighter jeans to make me wake up to what was going on with me. I quickly refocused and put my energy back into keeping my blood glucose under control, getting my food plan back in order, and getting good sleep. This not only helped my depression, but it also helped my blood glucose numbers come down.

Fatigue and exhaustion

Burnout can also be caused by fatigue and exhaustion. Letting yourself get run down and exhausted can cause a negative ripple effect. Don't let yourself get into this trap. Make sure you are getting the rest you need so you can have the energy you need to keep up with daily demands. Doing this will help your body fight any approaching burnout. Knowing what can cause burnout is half the battle and I hope that by discussing them, it can help you nip any burnout that may try to come your way.