Diabetes is an imperfect disease, and it does not care how perfect you try to be.
Even when an individual does ‘all the right things’ to manage their blood sugar levels, their blood sugar may still be out of range. The unpredictability of diabetes means that what worked one day to keep blood sugar levels balanced may not work as successfully as the next day. This can be incredibly frustrating and frankly unfair. But it’s a reality that many people with diabetes face.
When someone expects perfection with diabetes, it can harm both their blood sugar management and mental health. When one is not able to meet their goals, whether it is an HgA1c under 7 or increasing your time in the appropriate range, it can lead to diabetes burnout (where the individual becomes overwhelmed and disengaged from their diabetes care). It can also lead to an increased stress response, increased anxiety, disordered eating, eating disorders, and much more.
So, what is the solution?
It’s not about giving up or settling for less. It’s about finding a healthier, more sustainable approach to managing your diabetes. We just need to shift the approach and set realistic expectations for our health. It’s a journey, but it’s one that’s worth taking.
Practicing and cultivating self-compassion will be vital to reducing perfectionism.
Accepting that your blood sugar levels may not be ideally in range and that managing diabetes can be challenging is a beautiful first step in removing and reducing the pressure to be perfect. Be kind to yourself; you’re doing the best you can!
Diabetes providers and specialists typically encourage individuals to achieve and maintain certain health goals. For example, one may be told to keep an HbA1c below 7 consistently. As practitioners, we must learn to lead compassionately and distinguish between “optimal vs. dangerous management of blood sugar levels.” Practicing with compassion and focusing on optimizing blood sugar levels includes setting personalized goals and considering all aspects of one’s health.
Here are some examples of how one can focus on other aspects of one’s health to help with diabetes management.
Sleep helps regulate the hormones controlling blood sugar and metabolism. The body’s ability to control blood glucose levels is impacted if one struggles with sleep. For example, when one does not sleep enough, the body may produce less insulin, making it harder to balance blood sugar levels. Providers can work with clients to establish good sleep hygiene, aid blood sugar control, and provide many other benefits.
Stress can impact blood sugar levels. Stress hormones, including cortisol, may prevent the pancreas from producing enough insulin and cause blood sugar levels to rise or fall unpredictably. Providers can work with clients to establish self-care and stress management routines. These skills will not only help with blood sugar control but also have many other benefits for the client’s daily life.
Ultimately, the goals above are examples that give you a basis for what realistic and reasonable goals can look like. I recommend speaking with your specialist to formulate some that feel the best to you!
Even with diligent management, blood sugar levels are difficult to keep stable. Expecting perfection in managing diabetes can lead to adverse mental health outcomes, including anxiety and a condition known as ‘diabetes burnout.’
The solution lies not in striving for perfection but in adopting a healthier, sustainable approach with realistic health expectations. This empowers individuals with diabetes, their families, and healthcare practitioners to take control of their health in a way that is manageable and sustainable.
Resources to read more about diabetes and perfectionism:
Article by Allie Scaramuzzo, MS, RD, LDN