Diabetes Support: Loved Ones and FriendsWhen you have diabetes, your spouse, family members and friends can be a great source of ongoing support. They know you best and want what’s best for you. They are also with you most oftenand are there for you day in and day out.“Actually, well, my wife’s a big support; she’ll always kind of keep an eye on me.”And although they don’t have diabetes, they too are living with it and that can cause strong emotionsin them as well.“Having a lot of relatives and family members that have had diabetes, I knew if I had questionsI could always go to them for support and answers unlike-- I could go to my doctor as well butif I could just call my family members or something like that it just makes it easier to deal with.”Even though they want what’s best for you, it may seem at times like they are watching your everymove and policing the choices you make out of fear of complications.Or they may ignore the fact that you have diabetes and pretend nothing has changed. It may beeasier for them to act like you don’t have diabetes at all, rather than face the reality of it. They aregoing through their own period of denial. And that can hurt you as well.Living with a person who has diabetes also forces the family to take a look at its own habits.They may miss the way things used to be.These emotions can leave everyone feeling hurt, angry, and isolated, which can create tension andlead to arguments.However your loved ones react, it is best to deal with these emotions together. Open the lines ofcommunication and let them know how you feel.Be honest about how they help you manage your diabetes but also how they may make it moredifficult for you.Try to express your own feelings in a nonjudgmental way, rather than focusing on what the otherperson has said or done.Then make sure you take the time to listen to their feelings and concerns as well.Work on these differences together to achieve a common goal – your diabetes management.
