6) Healthy Coping

DSMES Health Behavior

Management of Type 2 Diabetes

Developing Coping Skills

Coping with Diabetes

Coping Skills Matter in Diabetes Management

Living with diabetes is not only physical—it is also emotional. Thoughts and feelings can affect daily choices, motivation, and self-care. Negative thoughts, fear and denial, and feelings of hopelessness can make diabetes management feel harder, but learning healthy coping skills can help people respond with confidence, problem-solving, and support.

Key Points

• Emotions can influence diabetes self-management
• Stressful thoughts may affect motivation and daily habits
• Healthy coping skills can improve confidence and decision-making
• Recognizing emotional barriers is the first step toward managing them

Coping With T2D

GOAL: To Review Coping Skills and Engage Participants in Training Exercises that will Enable them to Consistently Manage, Improve and Control Their Blood Sugar for Type 2 Diabetes

Learning is Empowering

Be The Best Version Of You

It is Yourself That You Owe the Most in Life

KNOWLEDGE CHECK

Quiz

Circle True or False for the Statement below?

• Increased knowledge about diabetes combined with a positive outlook on life and treatment are required to improve your blood sugar control

A) True B) False

KNOWLEDGE The answer will be revealed at end of the slide

Quiz

Circle True or False for the Statement below?

• Increased knowledge about diabetes combined with a positive outlook on life and treatment are required to improve your blood sugar control

A) True B) False

KNOWLEDGE The answer will be revealed at end of the slide

1. Negative Thoughts

Being Grateful

And Thankful Here and Now

• A baseline level of stress, anxiety and unhappiness is a new norm

• Be in touch with yourself
• Focus on what you are Grateful and Thankful for

Cherish the Simple Moments

Take Small Steps Everyday

• Walking Can Be A Great Solution
• When You Are Feeling Down
• Walk Where it is Safe, or Walk With Someone.

• Make Walking Connections
• In Our Peer Support Groups

2. Fear & Denial

Coping & Making Progress

• Take a chance on winning by being in the race

• Each day take one small step
• Focus on moving forward one step at a time

Breathe & Try to Relax

• Don’t be caught up in thoughts of the past or anxiety about the future
• Breathe, as you cut down on worry
• Focus on your breath
• Move forward what is bothering you
• Accept where you are
• Take one small step towards change
• Use your breath to relax

Tranquil Night

Quiet Sea

Serenity

Coping With Fear

• Overcome Your Fears
• Of Worsening Diabetes
• With Knowledge and
• Empowerment

3. Feelings of Hopelessness

Choose to be Positive

• The Desert

Willow Can Thrive In the Desert !

• We Know

how to Manage And Control Diabetes

Remember Your Purpose

• Reasons to learn about diabetes
• So you can share your life stories with others who can learn from them
• You can use your skills to teach others: including families and friends
• You can get almost every answer you want to know
• You improve your ability to cope and quality of life

Celebrate Accomplishments

• Happiness is a Personal Choice
• Your Glass is Either Half Full or Half Empty

• It is The Same Glass
• You Choose Which Side

Half Empty

Half Full

Which

COPING SKILLS

To Use When?

KEY POINTS

Fear and Feeling Hopeless

Life is a Journey, Live Each Day Being Present in Each Moment

Coping and Thriving

• Requires Effort And Practice

• Especially During Difficult Times

Resilience

Beautiful Flowers Can Grow In The Desert

Thriving During Hard Times

Resilience

CONCLUSION

Success

Success:

• Is Focusing On
• One Blood Sugar
• One Moment in Time;

and

• One Day at a Time

Set Your Goals and Develop a Plan to Achieve Them

ANSWER TO QUIZ

Answer To Quiz

Circle True or False for the Statement below?

• Increased knowledge about diabetes combined with a positive outlook on life can increase your blood sugar control

A) True B) False

Correct Answer is: a) The Statement is True

Rationale For The Answer

• Many factors affect your ability to control your blood sugar.
• Increased knowledge about diabetes combined with a positive outlook on life can increase your blood sugar control are two of the key factors that can make immediate improvement in blood sugar control.

Get screened for anxiety and or depression

Relax; Practice; Resilient – the ability to bounce back from bad experience, the ability to thrive despite hard times; with an attitude of Gratitude (being thankful for the good things in your life) can make you feel more joyful on bad days

• Guided imagery positive thinking help you relax
• Breathing exercise
• Stop negative thoughts, practice changing what you are thinking about
• Negative thinking is a habit that can be changed
• What you think impacts the way you feel
• How can I either change the situation or cope with it?

Key Coping Skills for coping with diabetes

• Positive thinking: Engage in positive self-talk.
• Be deliberate and manage your thoughts; choose positive thoughts, as what you think about can and will affect your mood.

• Breathe to relax.

• Even 10 minutes of physical activity can lower your blood sugar and make you more optimistic.

• Increase your knowledge and understanding of diabetes to overcome your fears.

Key Coping Skills for coping with diabetes

• There is a reason that your blood sugar is high or low, and you should be curious to know why.

• We are typically afraid of checking our blood sugar due to a perception that it is beyond our control.

• I happen to know that if you figure out what it takes to control your blood sugar, you can be empowered to keep it controlled all the time.

• Don’t worry about all the blood sugars for the rest of your life; just focus on one blood sugar at a time, and be sure to achieve your goals one blood sugar at a time.

End