Forrest City Water Utility

303 N. Rosser P.O. Box 816 Forrest City, Arkansas 72336 Phone: 870.633.2921 Fax: 870.633.5921 E-mail: [email protected] www.forrestcitywater.com

Special points Alive With Pride of interest: March 2017 Volume 3 Issue 6  The Emotional Effects of Diabetes The Emotional Effects of Diabetes

 Need Stress Relief? or anxiety? important that doctors ask  Manager’s Corner By Dr. Sanjay Gupta There are different situations. questions and probe beyond It might be someone who is how their medical care is For people with type 2 diabetes, not compliant with their self- going. A lot of patients are managing their emotional health care and isn’t checking their reluctant to talk about their can be as important as keeping blood sugar regularly or feelings unless asked. When If you have a water their blood sugar under control. taking their medications as a doctor is willing to ask The condition requires constant prescribed. Their doctor questions above and beyond attention, and that can trigger notices this and sees their whether or not they’re check- emergency after- feelings of stress and anxiety. A1C [hemoglobin test] levels ing their blood sugar, the Studies have shown that diabet- are up and there are prob- patient is more willing to ics are much more likely to have lems. In that case we might talk. hours, weekends or an anxiety disorder get communication from or depression. They may neglect their physician, and we’ll What are some of the ma- on holidays, please their diet, stop monitoring glu- help them work through their jor mental health issues cose levels, or revert to un- issues and come up with a that affect diabetics? healthy habits. game plan. There’s a high correlation call us at Steve Sternlof, PhD, a psy- It might be a patient who is between diabetes and depres- chologist with the Harold severely depressed and open- sion. It can come in different Hamm Diabetes Center at the ly talking about their level of forms and different levels of 870.633.1571 University of Oklahoma, talks sadness and that they’ve severity. Some people just get about the psychological im- given up hope. Their diabetes down a few days out of the pact type 2 diabetes can have is affecting them socially and week or month, others have and ways to help patients cope. putting a strain on their rela- chronic depression. It can be tionships or marriage. difficult for them just to get How do you know if a diabetes Sometimes patients are good out of bed and function in patient is suffering from stress at hiding these feelings. It’s their daily lives.

Michael Posey 3/09 Need stress relief? Try the 4 A's Rocky Love 3/20 By Mayo Clinic Staff stress level exceeds your longer, less traveled route. Hate waiting in When we feel the effects of ability to cope, you need to line at the corporate stress weighing us down, it's restore the balance by re- like lugging a backpack ducing the stressors or cafeteria? Pack your that's becoming heavier by increasing your ability to lunch and eat at your desk or in a break room. ASK ABOUT E-BILLING: Get the minute. Too much stress cope or both. Try using one of the four A's: avoid, Avoid people who your water bill sent to you can make our journey through life difficult. alter, accept or adapt. bother you. If you have through your email. a co-worker who causes Happy events, such as a Avoid your jaw to tense, put wedding, as well as unhappy Take control of your sur- physical distance be- events, such as overwork, roundings. tween the two of you. can cause stress. When your Is the traffic insane? Leave Learn to say no. early for work or take the Alive with Pride The Emotional Effects of Diabetes cont.

It can also create anxiety in that not respond after the first or activity, following up with your people worry about how they’re fifth time, but maybe after the doctor. Does there need to be more of a going to talk about their disease to twentieth time. They at least Some people decide their dia- focus on mental health in caring other people, and whether or not have to leave the door open. betes care either doesn’t fit into for people with diabetes? they’ll understand what they have to their routine or it falls short on When the emphasis is just on the go through. How do you help someone their priority list. Most people physical – that my body isn’t per- They also worry about how diabe- diagnosed with diabetes cope will list their job and their fam- forming the way that it should – tes will affect how long they live, with the pressures of constant ily and other things way above that’s difficult for some people. It’s they worry about complications, self-care? diabetes care on their priority helping to change their thinking and whether or not they’ll go blind, if It’s a big struggle. People live list. have them realize that while they they’ll need a limb amputated. It their lives and have a certain I usually have new patients may not have control over the way creates a lot of stress and worry. way of living it and have cer- reflect on why diabetes care is their body uses insulin, they can at Even if their diabetes is under con- tain habits and routines. Those such a low priority when it least control how they feel about it. trol, it’s that “what if” factor. things are very hard to break. involves taking care of their Everyday life, even without diabe- Diabetes also has a big effect on When you get diagnosed with health and quality of life and tes, is tough enough. When you add interpersonal relationships. People diabetes, you don’t have to how long they’ll live well with diabetes that requires so much of who have these depression or anxie- totally break them. But now the disease. It’s helpful when someone every single day, it creates ty problems and have a chronic you have to fit in something they can make that connection an extra burden of stress. Sometimes illness tend to withdraw from others else throughout the day every on their own that if they don’t people don’t feel like they have an and isolate themselves. The problem day for the rest of your life. take care of themselves and avenue of escape. It’s important is a lot of depressed patients put This involves checking your don’t manage the disease they have something they can find loved ones off. I tell family mem- blood sugar, taking your medi- properly, then they’re not going joy or comfort in. bers to not give up—the patient may cation, watching what you eat, to be around to have a job or doing some kind of physical spend time with their family.

takes. . Respectfully ask others things you can do during Create an assets column. times of stress is to take to change their behav- Adapt ior. inventory, then attempt to Look at the big picture. Ask Communicate your feel- change your situation for Adjust your standards. yourself, "Will this matter in a year ings openly. Remember the better Practice thought stop- or in five years?" The answer is often no. Realizing this makes a to use "I" statements, as Stop gloomy thoughts ping. stressful situation seem less in, "I feel frustrated by Accept immediately. Talk with someone Reframe the issue. Try looking overwhelming. shorter deadlines and a heavier workload. Forgive. It takes energy at your situation from a new to be angry. viewpoint. and finish a load of Manage your time bet- ter. Practice positive self laundry. State limits in advance. talk. I t's easy to lose ob- Adopt a mantra. Create a jectivity when you're saying such as, "I can handle Alter stressed. it." this," and mentally repeat it in One of the most helpful Learn from your mis- tough situations.

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