Diabetes and Mental Health Resource Hub

Diabetes and Mental Health Resource Hub - One Drop - Diabetes Burnout - Anxiety - Depression - Self-care

Most people think of diabetes as a physical condition, but its impact goes far beyond what’s felt in the body—it can affect your mental health in profound ways, too.   

People with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes. They're also 20% more likely to experience anxiety at some point in their lives. These facts aren’t surprising when you consider how stressful managing diabetes can be on a daily basis. From monitoring blood sugar to taking medications to maintaining a special diet, it’s a lot to handle.

If you’re living with diabetes and struggling with your mental health, we want to assure you that you’re not alone and you won’t feel like this forever. 

Wherever you are on your journey and whatever you might be feeling today, you’ll find a diabetes and mental health resource that can help you on this page. 

Investing in your mental health can improve your physical health and help you live a more peaceful, joyful life. The mind-body connection is powerful and we’ve spent years building up this library of diabetes and mental health resources to help you harness its power. 

While One Drop coaches can support changes in your emotional well-being, they cannot diagnose and/or treat mental health conditions. If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please visit the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988, or text 741741.

Diabetes Burnout

People living with diabetes can make up to an astonishing 180 more decisions per day than someone who doesn’t live with the condition. This means you could be making a health-related decision every eight minutes. It’s a lot. Diabetes burnout happens when all this decision-making starts to feel futile and you fall into unhealthy habits. It’s a common—even normal—part of life with diabetes. But with the right tools and support, it’s possible to move through diabetes burnout and get back on steady ground. 

Finding Peace In the Heat of Chronic Condition Burnout

Life Without Limits, Episode 1: Handling Diabetes Burnout with Dr. Harpreet Nagra

​​Diabetes Distress: How Diabetes and Mental Health Go Hand-in-Hand

4 Steps to Boosting Self-Compassion in Diabetes Management

3 Tips to Prevent Getting Stuck on the Blood Sugar Roller Coaster

High (And Low) Blood Sugars Are Not Forever

What is Ego Depletion and How is it Holding You Back in Managing Your Health?

Urge Surfing: How to Overcome Diabetes Setbacks

Learn How to Reframe Your Blood Sugar Results

Unhappy at Work? Overcome Burnout and Stay Motivated

How Does Diabetes Affect Your Mental Health?

Diabetes Education and Emotional Well-being

The Emotional Journey of a Diabetes Diagnosis

Self-Care Strategies

Self-care means making time to do the activities that help you improve your physical health, tend to your mental health, and nourish your spirit. In our busy modern lives, self-care often falls by the wayside. But prioritizing self-care isn’t selfish; it’s an act of love not only for yourself, but for your loved ones. When you take care of yourself, you can be more present for your family, friends, and colleagues. The resources in this section will inspire you to take a few moments for yourself to reset, relax, and recharge. 

How to Calm Down Fast: 7 Unusual Science-Backed Tips

Give Yourself a Pep Talk

Mood Board It

Why Handing Out More Meaningful Compliments is Good for Your Health

Seek Out Small Delights in Your Everyday

A Daily, Morning Practice to Improve Well-Being

Make a Playlist for Your Mood

Soak It Up: Benefits of a Warm Bath

Why You Should Take Time to Marvel at a Sunset

Give Yourself Permission to Mourn

The Power of Gratitude In Chronic Condition Management

Find Joy in Movement

Practice Gratitude to Change Your Life

Owning Your Health Story

Your health story is made up of all the milestones, triumphs, and challenges that you’ve experienced in your life until now. Often when we’re on a health journey, we get hung up on the latest setback and lose sight of the bigger picture. By defining your health story—including where you want it to end—you can take back your power and stay focused on your goals, letting the little bumps in the road stay little.  

Life Without Limits Podcast, Episode 9: Owning Your Health Story

It's Time to Find Your Why

Shifting Perspective on Life With Diabetes

Redefining "Success" In Diabetes Management

Language Matters In Diabetes Management

Feeling the Diabetes Shame and Blame

Dr. Jessica Browne Talks About Stigma and Diabetes

Being Your Own Advocate in a World of Health Disparities

Julie Beck on Taking Charge of Her Diabetes

Changing the Narrative Around Type 2 Diabetes with Spoken-Word Poetry

The Doctor Will See You Now: 10 Tips for a Better Doctor's Visit

60+ Real Life Diabetes Success Stories

Habit Formation

The key to making long-term changes for our health is forming healthy habits. Too often we rely on willpower alone to resist short-term temptations in favor of long-term goals, but willpower is a finite resource that gets depleted throughout the day. Habits can help us automate our behavior, so that when we’re faced with choosing between a five-minute social media scroll or a five-minute walk outside, it’s not really a choice at all—we just take the walk. In the following resources, we take a deep dive into the science of habit formation, giving you tips, tricks, and methods for creating long-lasting healthy habits.

What is a Habit Loop?

The Myth of Self Control

How to Change Your Life When You Feel Stuck

How Celebration Leads to Change, According to a Health Coach

Mindset Tactics

How to Maintain New Year’s Resolutions When Your Motivation Ebbs and Flows

How to Make Healthy Habits Stick

How to Start New Habits and Make Them Stick (Infographic)

40+ Ways to Reward Yourself (that Aren't Food)

Emotional Eating and Body Image

We’ve all been there—we’re feeling anxious or sad and start reaching for cookie after cookie to comfort ourselves. Using food to deal with our feelings is called emotional eating and when it’s done a lot, it can have a big impact on our physical and mental health. If you struggle with emotional eating or a negative body image, you’re not alone. Check out the following resources to understand the science behind emotional eating and get tips on developing a healthy relationship with food and your body. 

3 Ways Intuitive Eating Can Take the Stress Out of Diabetes Management

How to Conquer Body Shame In Chronic Condition Management, According to a Lifestyle Coach

Getting Your Mind Summer-Ready

Am I Truly Hungry?

Navigating Emotional Hunger

How to Manage Emotional Eating During COVID

Therapeutic Approaches

One of the best actions you can take for your mental health is to seek the support of a licensed mental health professional. Different therapists use different techniques to help you through the ups and downs of diabetes, so having an idea of how a potential therapist would work with you can help you decide if they’re a good fit. Check out our articles on therapeutic approaches and connect with your One Drop clinical health coach for their thoughts on which approach might be best for you. 

Prescribing Creative Arts Therapies for Mental Health

ACT: The 3-Letter Key to Improving Your Relationship with Your Diabetes

Life Without Limits Podcast, Episode 7: How Healing from Trauma Benefits Your Health

More than Numbers: Dr. Mary de Groot on Diabetes Psychosocial Care

Perfectionism

When you live with diabetes, you may feel like you have to strive for perfection when managing your blood sugar, but this can take a toll on your mental health, leaving you feeling frustrated and defeated. The following resources explore the emotional impact of perfectionism and offer tips to help you break free from perfectionist thinking and find a more balanced way of approaching your health.

Checking Perfectionist Thinking In Chronic Condition Management

How a Health Coach's Struggle with Perfectionism Helps Her Lead with Empathy

Life Without Limits Podcast, Episode 14: Overcoming Perfectionism in Diabetes Management

Mindfulness

If you’ve ever seen your blood sugar spike when you’re particularly stressed out, you’ve seen the mind-body connection firsthand. What we feel in our body can influence our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, and what we think, feel, and believe also impacts our physical health. Mindfulness can help you notice your thoughts and beliefs without letting them take control. Our mindfulness resources will help you move through unpleasant feelings and come out stronger and more peaceful.    

How to Bring Mindfulness Into Your Daily Life

A Health Coach Shares the Power of Mindfulness In Chronic Condition Management

Mindset Matters

Breathwork for Diabetes: Stop. Breathe. Think. Respond.

Life Without Limits Podcast, Episode 6: Relieving Stress with Mindfulness

Meditation for Diabetes

How to Meditate: An Easy and Effective Guide for Beginners (Infographic)

Life Without Limits Podcast, Episode 13: Lowering Stress with Breathing and Guided Imagery

The Art of Being Still

Meditate In Motion with a Tai Chi Practice

Relationships and Community

One of the scientifically proven ways to decrease emotional distress when you’re living with diabetes is to have plenty of social support. Feeling supported on your health journey can also help you stick with your treatment plan, which can lead to better overall health outcomes in the long run. Check out our resources on strengthening your community, how diabetes can affect relationships, and the power of support in chronic condition management.  

Is Diabetes Affecting Your Love Life?

3 Tips for Navigating Diabetes in Marriage

Pillars of Health: Community

Married Stanford Professors Dance with Diabetes at Work and at Home

Do's and Don'ts: How to Support Your Loved One with Diabetes

10 Times Your Best Friend Showed Up For You & Your Diabetes

How the DAWN2 Study Hits Home: Work and Life with Diabetes

This article has been clinically reviewed by Hanna Rifkin, RD, CDCES, clinical health coach at One Drop.

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Sara Huneke
Apr 28, 2023

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