Welcome to Day 2 of Diabetes Blog Week. The topic revolves around the mental and emotional aspects of living with diabetes and what each of us bloggers does to cope with the stresses diabetes brings.  The coping mechanism that suits me best as I move through the trials of diabetes is curiosity. Becoming a researcher in diabetes isn’t a selfless one. When I am working on untangling the intricacies and complexities of diabetes, I am happier. I am steeped in project and connection when I am interviewing, coding, reading, and learning. 

For example, learning that there ARE researchers who are proposing the application of complexity theory to diabetes clinical practice thrills me! What thrills me more is knowing that I bring some of our perspective to this growing body of research.

All of this researching helps me cope personally, but it also boosts my pride in our community. As we dig deep and write about our experiences, researchers are fumbling to explain it in academic terms. It makes me want to send each and every one of you GIANT virtual hugs all the time for being so wonderfully in tune with your mind, spirit, and body.

If I were to suggest anything to a PWD experiencing burnout, it would be this…

“Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

As hard as it is to write during burnout, let us try. Because our stories ARE data, our words are future findings. Knowing that the power of our hardships can be collected and explored is extraordinary. I don’t know about you, but that’s enough to keep me going.

If you want to look up the complexity theory in diabetes practice, here is a good place to start: Cooper, H. C., & Geyer, R. (2009). What can complexity do for diabetes management? Linking theory to practice. Journal of evaluation in clinical practice, 15(4), 761-765.

Today’s Topic: Click for the The Other Half of Diabetes – Tuesday 5/17 Link List.
We think a lot about the physical component of diabetes, but the mental component is just as significant. How does diabetes affect you or your loved one mentally or emotionally? How have you learned to deal with the mental aspect of the condition? Any tips, positive phrases, mantras, or ideas to share on getting out of a diabetes funk? (If you are a caregiver to a person with diabetes, write about yourself or your loved one or both!)