In my clinical practice I have seen people who frankly have been devastated when I tell them that they have got the disease of diabetes. I can understand that but I do think that’s a pity. I can understand it because it is a serious condition. Yes you are going to have to make serious changes to your life. It’s not just a case of taking a few pills. But diabetes is a problem that if we work together at, we can control. I understandthat at the time that your life may be folding in on top of you. That this is your problem and not one that you can share with other people.

Yes, you get five minutes of the doctor’s time perhaps, when you go to the clinic but that’s about all. What I think we all must be aware of is that problems like this must be shared. You need to talk about it. You need to talk to your professionals, your doctor or nurse at the clinic. You need to talk maybe to the other people that you meet at the clinic. You need to think about whether you’re going to join one of the local support groups or patient groups. In this age of the internet there are even forums that you can join and where you can share opinions with people.

It’s different for different people. But you do need to do something and there’s one thing that I think everyone needs to do and that’s to share it with your nearest and dearest. The people that you live with perhaps even the people that you work with the people that you can trust the people who are not going to be critical, the people that are going to give you support the people that are going to help you. If you’ve got to give up smoking, give up drinking, lose weight, modify your lifestyle, these are the people who are going to help with that. Because these are difficult things, they are not impossible but they are not easy and there I think you do need as much help as you can get.

Ask for it.

Posted: 15/01/2009