Diabetes advocacy groups

The following is a list of organizations that can provide information on diabetes. Ask your health care team to help you find other resources for information or support.

Country specific groups can be listed here.

Support groups

Diabetes can affect emotions in a direct or indirect way. Poor control of your blood sugar can make you more irritable. You may also feel different from other people because of your condition, and you may also feel resentful as a consequence. You have to adapt your daily life to diabetes planning.

As a person with diabetes you have an increased risk of depression and anxiety, and that is why your healthcare team may include a social worker or even a psychologist.

You may find it useful to talk to other people suffering from diabetes. There are support groups organized both online and in person. Even if you may not feel eager to join one or you think you are not a kind of person who can enjoy being part of it, consider that they can be good sources of information. People in support groups know about the latest treatments, and can share their own experience or other kinds of helpful practical information (i.e. carbohydrate counts for your favorite takeout restaurant).

SUPPORT GROUP: A group of people who share a similar problem or concern. The people in the group help one another by sharing experiences, knowledge, and information

In a support group, if you just found out you have diabetes you can learn from people who have lived with it for long time. You can talk about it and share how you deal with it. You may even talk about how you take care of your health, how you prepare food, and which kind of physical activities you do. Family members are also welcome, even if they do not have diabetes. This can help them to understand your situation, and how to better help you.

Ask your doctor if they are aware of a local support group you may join!

It can help to talk with other people who have problems like your own.

Support

To live with diabetes can be difficult and frustrating, and you know it well. Sometimes your blood sugar level my rise even if you have done everything properly. However if you stick to your diabetes management plan you will likely see a positive difference in A1C during your visit with your doctor.

These situations, as well as the normal daily diabetes management, can become overwhelming. It can be helpful to find somebody to talk with. Your healthcare team can be a support, and it is made up of many different specialists, but you may also want to try a support group to share your frustrations as well as your successes with other people. These people can understand your situation, because they live it themselves and it can be very helpful. You may find new tips thanks to meeting with other people that manage diabetes every day.

Ask your doctor if they are aware of a local support group you may join!

Strategies to deal with negative emotions

You have to deal with diabetes every day for the whole day. This can impact your emotional well-being, stress and negative emotions can even affect your blood glucose control. There are some strategies that can help you deal with negative emotions, to communicate with your loved ones, and to find support and any kind of help you may need.