Once diabetes is diagnosed, complex and ongoing self-management must begin, which can pose great challenges to both patients and their families. Studies have proven the effectiveness of family support in the prevention and management of diabetes. The theme of this year’s United Nations Diabetes Day is: Families and Diabetes. How do family members typically react when faced with a patient with diabetes? So what can family members do to better help patients with diabetes?
Common reactions from family members
The patient was in a bad mood, and his family members helped to alleviate the problem, and the patient's mood improved. "I know you feel very uncomfortable right now and feel that you have to worry about everything you eat. But aren't you sick now? You need to cooperate with the treatment first. When the indicators are normal, there will be many other things to eat."
The patient is in a bad mood and the family members are overwhelmed. They don’t know how to deal with the patient who is in a bad mood for a long time, and the family members become irritable. "I've done so much for you, why can't you take injections and take medicine properly? Why can't you control yourself even though I tell you to exercise more and eat less sweets?"
The patient was in a bad mood and the family members turned a blind eye. "The doctors have said that as long as you actively cooperate with the treatment, keep your mouth shut and move your legs, it will be no big deal. It is just a chronic disease, no big deal."
Tips for families: Family members should be aware of their own emotional reactions in a timely manner. Only when their emotions are stable can they better help family members with diabetes.
Family and diabetes
(1) Basic knowledge and care
Patients will encounter many problems in their daily self-management, such as troubles in blood sugar testing, medication use, diet management, exercise and other aspects. They often fail to persist due to various reasons, causing blood sugar indicators to fluctuate high and low.
Family tips: Understand the disease knowledge, understand the patient's physical condition, learn to monitor blood sugar, remind you to take medicine, and accompany you during exercise.
(2) Economic burden
Diabetes is a chronic disease that requires long-term or even lifelong treatment. At the same time, various complications may occur as the condition changes, such as diabetic foot, blindness, kidney disease, etc. Patients who are ill for a long time cannot take care of their families and need to spend a lot of money. Therefore, diabetic patients are prone to guilt and self-blame. "Patients with a giving type have been frugal since childhood and are reluctant to give up food and clothing. At this time, they are prone to self-destruction and resistance to regular treatment."
Family tips: Take the initiative to communicate with patients and dispel their concerns. As long as you actively cooperate with the doctor's treatment and practice good self-management, your blood sugar levels will be normal, thereby reducing the chance of complications, saving treatment costs, and the patient himself can Reduce the pain caused by disease.
(3) Psychological changes
• Fear of death: Patients think too much, are often at a loss, say things that hurt people around them or do inappropriate things. "Nagging family members, what you did is wrong and what you did is wrong; God, if I have diarrhea today, will my condition worsen or die? If children eat so much sugar now, they will get diabetes when they grow up... …”
Psychological prescription for family members: perspective-taking method. “It’s very difficult for us normal people to keep running in order to exercise, or to keep on dieting in order to lose weight, not to mention that they need to persist for a long time or even for life.” “They don’t do it intentionally, but their anxious and restless hearts make them at a loss. As his family member, I want to listen and understand him more, and help him get through the current difficulties together."
• Anger and pessimism: Children and adolescents with diabetes are in their prime years of studying, falling in love, and starting a business, but they are deprived of the freedom and rights to enjoy life. They will be angry, helpless, and negative.
Psychological prescription for family members: guided catharsis method. "He has a lot of grievances and unfairness in his heart. We need to stay with him and listen to him more, find a suitable way to vent with him, understand the disease correctly, and build new hope."
• Psychological regression: Becoming emotional and less considerate of other people’s feelings. This is more of a traumatic reaction, and it is easy to morally kidnap family members, “I’m sick, you have to be nice to me”, “Look at me back then. How did I treat you, how are you treating me now!".
Psychological prescription for family members: listening and caring method. Suffering from a chronic disease is a heavy blow to him. He can no longer eat whatever he wants as usual. His complaints are actually that he is afraid, needs comfort, and is looking for help.
Fighting against sugar is like fighting a war and requires the strength of the family group. If the whole family works together, difficulties will be easily overcome. If the patient's emotional state is not good, family members should identify and provide timely help, and seek help from a professional psychologist when necessary. At the same time, we also recommend that diabetic patients should not feel embarrassed when they are unable to regulate their emotions, but should take the initiative to communicate with their family members and provide help through professional and scientific means.
