Afraid of Diabetes

By David Spero
Does diabetes scare you? I know multiple sclerosis (MS) scares me. Both diseases can progress and cripple our lives. How does fear of diabetes affect your life, and more important, what do you do about it?
In May, Quinn Phillips wrote here about the scare tactics used by the American Diabetes Association and others trying to raise money or prevent diabetes. Many readers agreed with Quinn that being scared was not helpful for most people.
"Scare tactics are in my opinion a waste of time," commented Jim Snell. "Finding positive/reassuring and corrective tactics seem far more productive in my mind." Most psychologists would agree. Fear can motivate, but without a doable alternative, it can be paralyzing.
Too much fear promotes denial. Allez, a commenter on Quinn's article, wrote about her husband, "Scare tactics might just push him to realizing that his tingling feet and wounds that won't heal are going to lead to an amputation, if he doesn't start doing something. Don't know if it'll help. It hasn't yet, and he's seen some pretty scary commercials lately."
And that is typically what too much fear does to you. Small amounts of fear might energize you and get you to pay attention, but the threat has to seem manageable. If there's nothing you can do, and the future looks too awful, you will tend to give up and try to enjoy the time you have left.
Of course, some fear of diabetes is justified. The complications of diabetes are truly scary. So are the effects it ca...

Source: Diabetes Self-Management - August 7, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: David Spero Source Type: blogs