International Diabetes Center > Diabetes Self-care > Emotional Health > Family Life

Family life

Diabetes affects people with diabetes and their loved ones – spouses, children, parents and friends. Family and friends also need time to adjust to a loved one having diabetes. They may go through some of the same feelings as a person with diabetes.

Families also may need time to adjust to the new treatment schedule. Some changes people with diabetes may need to make in their routines – such as eating at regular times – will affect loved ones, too.

Families and friends may need to learn specific ways they can support their loved ones with diabetes. Learning how to handle emergencies, how to eat or cook healthily or how to do a blood glucose (sugar) test can help people with diabetes cope and help families feel more at ease.

People may experience many emotions when they or their loved ones are diagnosed with diabetes. Fear, denial, anger, guilt, sadness, frustration, relief, hope and adaptation are all possibilities. Recognizing emotions and accepting them so they are less likely to interfere with diabetes care is vital to adjusting to life with diabetes.

About 20 percent of people with diabetes develop clinical depression. Some people also develop anxiety disorders or family problems. Behavioral health problems in people with diabetes are more likely to impact their physical health than in someone without diabetes. People with diabetes are people first and have diabetes second. They may have behavioral health problems not related to their diabetes, and those problems may interfere with diabetes care.

Communication between sexual partners is especially important, as it is not uncommon for people with diabetes to experience sexual problems.

To make an appointment with International Diabetes Center, call 952-993-3393 or toll-free at 888-825-6315.