Tag: Mental health

Enough Said…

~ JodiLea ~ Leave a comment

When I read this, I giggled. Then I realized it described my current state of mind. I am always busy juggling different projects. However, this week has been a torturous stream of events gone wrong.

It began with my computer getting hacked. Those terrorists are really improving their game, and I got caught off-guard that morning before I had my coffee. I won’t go into the blow-by-blow account of it all here. I became unglued, got professional help, and all is well now. (How is that for brief?)

The remaining hours of Monday went by in a blur. In fact, Tuesday through Thursday were blurrisome (A new word meaning “annoyingly vague”) also.

It was Friday that was vivid. A trainer at our new gym had to cancel our orientation appointment, so now we must wait until Thursday to learn how to use the equipment. Sigh. My plan to work on a baby quilt was delayed due to phone calls, emails, and snail mail having to do with either my medical situation or a quilter wanting or needing something. I don’t mind helping my fellow quilters, but everything takes time. Somehow, I don’t have enough time.

I get up early and go to bed late. I do not fiddle around. I need more sleep. I fall asleep in the weirdest places. Like my keyboard, at the dinner table. I should go to bed now, but I have some things to finish. That’s how it starts. Then I get to bed after midnight. Did I get a lot accomplished? Heck, no. I was too brain-dead after 10:00 pm. I do my best work in the mornings, so I will sleep on time and get up early. It won’t give me more hours, but I think they will be happier.

We will have to see about this…

March is Mental Health Awareness Month

~ JodiLea ~ Leave a comment
I did not write this piece, so this is a public service announcement. Because I belong to the Type 1 Diabetes Exchange Registry, I came across this short but informative article. I found it interesting, and you may also, even if you are not a T1D.

For people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), self-management requires an extraordinary amount of decision-making every day. In fact, research suggests this translates to about 180 more health-related decisions than someone living without diabetes.   This level of stress can affect a person’s emotional well-being, leading to feelings of frustration, burnout, and diabetes distress. And it’s why your healthcare provider may regularly use an assessment tool to monitor your mental health.   According to our Registry data, participants with T1D also self-reported the following diagnoses. While these numbers are only representative of our participants, they are telling. Anxiety (24.9%), Depression (24.2%), Eating disorders (3.2%), Diabetes distress (2.4%), PTSD (0.3%). That said, on average, research suggests people with T1D are 2 to 3 times more likely to have depression than someone without T1D. However, only 25-50% of these individuals are diagnosed and treated. That’s why it’s essential to be honest about your feelings and advocate for yourself or a loved one. While caring for your physical health is vital, your mental health is equally important.   The T1D Exchange Registry is dedicated to improving the lives of those living with T1D. One way we do this is by supporting mental health research in T1D. A current study, Mental Health Support Experiences and T1D, aims to better understand participants’ experiences when talking with diabetes care providers about their mental health and well-being.
For people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), self-management requires an extraordinary amount of decision-making every day. In fact, research suggests this translates to about 180 more health-related decisions than someone living without diabetes.   This level of stress can affect a person’s emotional well-being, leading to feelings of frustration, burnout, and diabetes distress. And it’s why your healthcare provider may regularly use an assessment tool to monitor your mental health.   According to our Registry data, participants with T1D also self-reported the following diagnoses. While these numbers are only representative of our participants, they are telling. Anxiety (24.9%), Depression (24.2%), Eating disorders (3.2%), Diabetes distress (2.4%), PTSD (0.3%). That said, on average, research suggests people with T1D are 2 to 3 times more likely to have depression than someone without T1D. But only 25-50% of these individuals are diagnosed and treated. That’s why it’s so important to be honest about your feelings and advocate for yourself or a loved one. While caring for your physical health is essential, your mental health is equally as important.   The T1D Exchange Registry is dedicated to improving the lives of those living with T1D. One way we do this is by supporting mental health research in T1D. A current study, Mental Health Support Experiences and T1D, aims to better understand participants’ experiences when talking with diabetes care providers about their mental health and well-being.

The Alerts Just Keep on Coming…

~ JodiLea
Diabetic Equipment Stuff

My new insulin pump gets data from the CGM (blood sugar monitor) and adjusts the insulin rate accordingly. It is like I have a working pancreas most of the time. Some settings must be adjusted, and I must do my part by entering carb data. Until those things become routine, I have alarms going off day and night. That’s right—an alarm alerts me if my glucose is too high. I will give myself insulin to correct the high. Now, I get alerted to the fact that my glucose is dropping too quickly. OK.

The next alert is because my glucose levels are dangerously low. To treat this, I must eat/drink sugar. Then, the whole cycle starts over. My daily chart looks like the Himalayas. I don’t mind the alarms/alerts so much, but my puppy freaks out when she hears them. My hubby usually hears them before they wake me up, so he is annoyed. With me.

When anything beeps or buzzes in my house, everyone looks at me—like I am the only thing that beeps! The dishwasher, washing machine, computers, and telephones also make noise. Since the equipment is also new to me, I can’t be sure if it’s me or something else. I do know one thing: I’m exhausted.

I put the equipment on silent, so most of the alerts don’t sound. However, the critical ones bypass any volume setting and blare at max decibels. Since I must keep the sensor reading equipment within 20 feet of my person, this is quite jarring. Imagine how unnerving it is to sit next to me in a quiet meeting when my blood sugar begins to tank. It actually unnerves everyone in the building, but the closer you are to the source (me), the worse it is.

Technology has done wonders for diabetics to become more balanced and healthy. I have to wonder, though – is it eroding my mental health to live like this?

TTFN