[music]


One of the hardest things about living with Type 2 Diabetes is that it is largely a self-managed illness. 


What that means is that as a person with Diabetes you’re going through the day, making decisions about your food, your activity, how you handle the stresses in your life, 

and all of those things affect your blood sugar today and ultimately your future health. 



There’s no question that there’s a lot to do as you go through the day to take care of Diabetes. It’s not easy; it’s easy to get overwhelmed. 



One of the reasons why education is so important in Diabetes is because of these many decisions that you need to make.  



So the more you know, the wiser the choices you can make, and ultimately the better your outcomes will be as you go through your life with Diabetes.



[music]



It’s very common to have powerful emotions at the time of diagnosis, and in fact, the majority of patients experience these kinds of feelings, 



such as fear, anger, being overwhelmed, guilt--all of those things are very common. 



One of the most important things to recognize is that you’re not alone. 



Two very important things that you can do: first, find somebody in your life who is a good listener, who can be a sounding board for you and a support for you. 



Second, reach out to your healthcare team and ask about resources in your community, in your neighborhood, a Diabetes educator, a psychologist, a social worker, a support group.  



All of those things are available in many communities and can be a major help in dealing with this very important side of managing Diabetes. 



There’s support and help available. And addressing those feelings and finding ways to live peacefully with your Diabetes is one of the most important things that you can do.



[music]



Diabetes truly is a family disease because the diagnosis in many ways affects everyone.



Every member of the family can think about being supportive in terms of making similar lifestyle changes, eating the same food, being more active, being there to exercise with the person.

 

So being a support is more than just an emotional support; it’s also being a lifestyle support.



There’s no question that there is a lot to do to manage Diabetes. It’s not easy and it can be overwhelming. Take it one step at a time, one day at a time, and you’ll get there.



For additional information visit the National Diabetes Education Program at Your Diabetes Info.org.