What Diabetes Distress Is

Diabetes distress is feeling worn down by the daily work of diabetes. It can feel like a backpack that gets heavier each day.

The work adds up. Blood sugar checks, meals and medicines can come up every day. Each one is small, but they repeat.

A hiker climbs a hill with a big backpack. Three heavy rocks named Checks, Meals and Medicines are strapped onto the pack one by one, and the hiker leans forward under the daily work. When the load is shared, a second hiker named Support carries Meals and Medicines on their own pack, and both climb standing straighter.

Distress can show up as feeling overwhelmed, frustrated or alone with it. Overwhelmed means too many tasks at once.

Feeling stressed, sad or angry can be common with diabetes. It does not mean you are weak. Your care team, family and friends can share the load.

A scale from calm to overwhelmed where the reader slides a marker past common distress signs.

Distress and depression are not the same. Depression is a health condition, and it can be treated. If you feel sad, hopeless or anxious, tell your doctor.

If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 in the United States. It is free and open 24/7. Outside the United States, or in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

A slider moves between distress, feeling worn down by daily diabetes work, and depression, a health condition that can be treated.

Key takeaways

• Diabetes distress is feeling worn down by daily diabetes work.
• Feeling overwhelmed, frustrated or alone are common signs.
• Distress and depression are not the same thing.

Try it

Pick one thing that feels heavy this week and tell one person you trust about it.