Today’s world is busy and fast-paced. There are many responsibilities and obligations - family, social and work that must all be accomplished. To be able to cope with all these, our time and resources are sometimes overpowered. Stress sets in. For diabetics, it is even worse. Any kind of either physical or emotional stress affects their healthy adversely.

How does stress affect your diabetic condition?

When stressed, blood sugar levels rise. This is because functioning of some of the stress hormones is to raise blood sugar. The high blood sugar boosts energy. When danger sets in (stress) the hormones meet the challenge by raising this blood sugar.

Non-diabetic people have mechanisms in place that keep this blood sugar swing in control. However, this is not the case with diabetics. These compensatory mechanisms are either non-existent or blunted. With the uncontrolled blood sugar, one is at risk of complications. They include nerve damage, blindness and kidney problems. If the blood sugar rise and stay on high levels, one may suffer from cardiovascular disease.

What causes stress?

Stress is as a result of pressures, both external and internal.

External sources may include:

• Demanding jobs
• Being laid off
• Relationship challenges
• Financial instability

Internal causes may include:

• Our perception of events
• Medical infections such as flu

What is chronic stress?

In today’s world, stress has become part and parcel of our lives. It goes on for days and weeks; chronic stress. If the “fight or flight” by hormones takes place, our blood sugars still rise. This is not healthy especially for diabetic people because one already has excess glucose in the blood.

How can we avoid stress as a diabetic?

There are two ways that are very effective in controlling stress. They deal with what you have no control of and what choices you have in certain situations:

• Stop worrying about what you cannot change

We must understand that stress cannot be completely avoided., for instance, when death of a loved one occurs. As a diabetic, you must learn not to worry about the things that you cannot control. Spend time and resources in ways that better the situation other than being anxious.

• How we cope with situations

Do you react to problems with an attitude of failure? Do you leave everything to fate? In diabetes and stress, this is the worst kind of coping style that you can acquire helplessness. When you choose to leave everything to fate, you ignore other available alternatives to solving the problems. As a diabetic, it is your responsibility to take control of your blood sugar. Analyze what choices that are available in a certain situation and take control.