Diabetes Phobias: Conquering Your Fears

Diabetes management is a strenuous task, and controlling blood sugar levels can often get challenging. Therefore, most people are often afraid of something or the other associated with the disease. These phobias can make diabetes management highly complicated and adversely affect your diabetes health. Hence, healthcare professionals often stress on understanding these fears, addressing them and overcoming them to manage diabetes efficiently. 

5 Most Common Diabetes Phobia

Fear of Needles

Most people dislike needles, but some people have a phobia of needles, meaning that they cannot even bear the thought of getting an injection. If a diabetes patient has a needle phobia, also known as trypanophobia, it can pose a challenge for them to take medications such as insulin every day. 

How To Conquer?

• Make your own fear hierarchy, which is a list of actions that trigger your phobia. Start with the least feared action, such as watching someone else getting injected and then work your way up to the most feared activity. By overcoming these steps one by one, you can gradually learn to manage your needle phobia.
• Before administering an injection, use a relaxation exercise to handle it well. Take in a few deep breaths and hold them for some time as you try to relax your body and mind. It is one of the best ways to manage needle phobia. 

Fear of Long-Term Diabetes Complications

Many diabetes patients are at the risk of acquiring long-term health problems such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, etc. It can make the patient scared as they do not know how to control or stop these complications from developing. Thankfully, now with the medical developments and research on these complications, people are less likely to suffer from them. Yet, the phobia is highly prevalent. 

How To Conquer?

• Educate yourself about these complications and remind yourself that the risk has significantly reduced since before. Stay updated with all the modern research and advancements. It will help you feel more confident.
• Focus on things that are within your control. You cannot stop these complications from developing, but you can definitely prevent or delay them. By controlling blood glucose levels, eating a healthy and balanced diet and living a healthy lifestyle, you can reduce the risks of these health complications and manage your fear well.

Fear of Hypoglycemia

Most people with diabetes suffer from the fear of hypoglycemia, a condition in which the blood sugar levels fall drastically. They tend to get even more anxious in public settings or at night, as most hypo attacks occur at nighttime. 

The symptoms of hypoglycemia are extremely unpleasant, uncomfortable and dangerous. Therefore, people who have a phobia of hypoglycemia often keep their blood sugar levels too high or restrict exercises and activities that can increase the risk of getting a hypo attack. But, all these actions can adversely affect their diabetes health. 

How To Conquer?

• Tell your healthcare team about your fear. They will modify your diabetes regime accordingly and help you handle the fear more efficiently. 
• Find out what works best to treat your hypoglycemia. It can be a chocolate bar, glucose tablet or glucose drink. Always keep these snacks in your pocket to boost your confidence and treat your hypoglycemia. 
• If you ever feel that you are getting anxious about a hypo attack, sit down and take deep breaths. Try to relax your body and mind as you concentrate on your breathing rhythm.

Fear of Doctor Visits

Diabetes requires constant visits to doctors, and therefore, your healthcare team forms the most important part of your diabetes journey. However, most people fear going to a doctor. In the majority of the cases, patients feel scared of getting scolded for poor test results, or they feel anxious to disagree with their doctors as they are the experts. It can often make them avoid their check-ups, adversely affecting their diabetes health.

How To Conquer?

• Plan your diabetes check-up in advance. Get ready with the questions and doubts you want to ask while also mentally preparing yourself for the appointment. 
• Do your own research to understand more about diabetes. It will help you better communicate with your doctor and make you feel confident. 

Fear of Blood Tests

People with diabetes are required to get their blood tests done at regular intervals. It is a part of their diabetic review and is usually done to check their blood sugar levels. However, for some people, these blood tests can become highly challenging. They can get scared and anxious about getting a bad result and miss their blood tests appointment.  

How To Conquer?

• Focus on the things you can control. Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and live a healthy lifestyle to regulate your blood sugar levels. If you are doing everything right, you will feel more confident before your blood tests.
• Educate yourself and learn the facts. Understand that you can manage your diabetes and prevent diabetes complications. It will help develop an optimistic attitude in you.
• Remind yourself of the importance of these blood tests. Understand that these blood tests will give you more control over the progression of the disease.  

Takeaway:

The fears listed above are common among diabetes patients. However, one must conquer them to improve their diabetes health. 

References:

1. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blog/2021/01/6-diabetes-phobias-can-overcome/
2. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/fear-of-testing.html
3. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/emotions/anxiety-over-hypoglycemia.html
4. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/emotions/fear-of-long-term-diabetes-complications.html
5. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/emotions/communicating-with-healthcare-professionals.html
6. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/emotions/needle-phobia.html
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10934458/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25100395/
9. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227911821_Fears_and_phobias_in_people_with_diabetes