After being diagnosed with diabetes you may experience strong emotions. First of all you have to accept them, and try to find some strategies to live with them. Some of the main emotions are defined here:

Denial — Once you have been diagnosed with diabetes for the first time you can feel overwhelmed by the amount of information you are given. This is totally new for you, and you have to make sense out of it. You may try to deny your diabetes at the beginning, thus helping yourself with a gradual adaptation. However this denial can’t last for long, because you need to introduce new practices in your daily life – such as blood sugar level check, medication intake, regular physical activity, and a proper diet – in order to stay healthy.

Confusion — The new practices that allow you to manage your diabetes may be difficult. It can help you to keep a diary, where you write down daily your lifestyle plan including time for testing and for taking medicine, time for exercising, and some nutritional suggestions.

Anger — You may easily feel frustrated, uncertain about your health, and without control when you learn about diabetes. These are normal responses, but you may try to turn your anger into a positive force, it doesn’t always have to be a bad feeling. You can convert anger into power to accomplish your tasks to keep you healthy.

Stress — A feeling like stress can seriously affect your ability to control your diabetes. It may impact on your blood sugar level making it more difficult to control. As a consequence of stress, you can miss meals, forget to exercise or even to take your medicine.

Remember to think positive and to relax and take care of you. Try to accept what is impossible to change and don’t over-expect from yourself. Try to find support or somebody to talk to: a family member, a friend, a spiritual guide, or a healthcare provider. Don’t stop with your physical activity, since it is also a way to lower your stress and feel more satisfied.