Diabetes burnout can come with frustration and exhaustion that can make it hard to follow treatment plans. By finding ways to cope, you can help prevent burnout from coming back.
Managing diabetes can feel like a full-time job. It can lead to burnout that makes it hard to stay on track.
“There’s never a break,” said Tami Ross, RD, a certified diabetes care and education specialist and the author of “What Do I Eat Now?: A Guide to Eating Well with Diabetes or Prediabetes.”
Keeping up with monitoring your blood sugar levels and going to regular medical appointments can be exhausting. Add on everyday stressors and other chronic conditions and you may start to feel depleted and defeated.
While diabetes burnout is common, you can recover from it.
Diabetes burnout usually involves feeling frustrated and exhausted from the daily demands of managing diabetes, according to a 2019 study.
It can affect more than just your emotional health. A
People with diabetes burnout become “overwhelmed by the demands of living with diabetes and [are] tired of managing their condition,” said Andrea Newcom, RD, a diabetes care specialist and health coach at Omada Health.
Diabetes burnout “[is] unique to the individual,” said Shahzadi Devje, RD, a certified diabetes educator.
One episode of burnout may look different from another, depending on what’s going on in your life, and burnout experiences may vary between people.
Diabetes burnout may include psychological symptoms such as:
- a feeling that diabetes controls your life
- negative emotions related to diabetes, such as anger, resentment, hopelessness, and overwhelm
- a feeling of defeat or failure
- a lack of motivation to follow treatment plans, even if you’re worried about your health
- isolation or a feeling that no one understands what you’re going through
- a negative outlook
Changes in how you’re managing diabetes may be warning signs of diabetes burnout. You may have burnout if you find yourself:
- checking your blood sugar less often or not at all
- not taking your diabetes medication as prescribed
- skipping medical appointments
Symptoms of diabetes burnout can also be physical. It’s a stress-related condition linked to sleep changes, headaches, body aches and pains, and more frequent bouts of illness, according to Devje.
While some of their symptoms may overlap, diabetes burnout and depression are different.
“[W]ith diabetes burnout, these feelings are specific to diabetes,” said Ravi Kavasery, MD, the medical director of quality and population health at AltaMed Health Services.
With depression, sadness, frustration, and hopelessness consume all areas of your life, Kavasery said.
According to the
If you think you have depression or diabetes burnout, talk with a healthcare professional to find ways to cope.
While eliminating the daily demands of managing diabetes might not be possible, you can overcome diabetes burnout.
1. Accept your feelings
When you’re feeling burnt out, you might be tempted to ignore your feelings or bash yourself for not following through with treatment plans.
But the first step in managing burnout is accepting its presence — including the emotions that come from it.
Journaling can be a helpful tool for exploring your feelings in a judgment-free space.
2. Be honest with your care team
Talking with a healthcare professional about your burnout symptoms can feel uncomfortable or even upsetting. However, according to Kavasery, it’s important to remember that “you’re not doing anything wrong.”
“We all need support in different ways, and sometimes our individualized care plans stop working for us,” he said.
When talking with a healthcare professional, be honest about how diabetes burnout affects your life. You can work together to find solutions.
3. Pinpoint the specific problem
You can counteract burnout symptoms by being strategic about what’s causing them to begin with.
Ask yourself: What exactly about diabetes management is stressing you out? What in particular is making it harder to focus on your health?
If the problem is an unrealistic diabetes management plan, talk with your care team about alternative solutions.
“Your goals and targets must be relevant and fit within your lifestyle [so they don’t] feel like a continued burden,” Devje said.
4. Get inspired
Trying new techniques to manage your diabetes can help re-inspire you and relieve burnout.
“Breathe new life into your old ways of managing the condition,” said Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a clinical psychologist. She suggested trying new diabetes-friendly recipes if your go-to meals have you stuck in a rut.
You can also switch up your exercise routine by:
- walking different routes
- signing up for fitness classes
- playing your favorite sport
5. Join a support group
Address diabetes burnout by finding ways to connect with other people who have diabetes.
Building relationships with those who “truly get you” provides the opportunity to share your hardships and successes, said Ashley Ellis, PharmD, a diabetes educator and the clinical director at Compwell.
Consider tapping into a diabetes support group to exchange tips on managing diabetes and burnout.
6. Take a diabetes ‘vacation’
A vacation from the office can help cure work-related burnout. Likewise, a short, safe “vacation” from how you typically manage diabetes may help relieve burnout, Ross said.
Ross suggested talking with your healthcare team about how to safely take a few days off to help restore your energy.
This might mean resting instead of doing your typical exercise routine or checking your blood glucose levels slightly less often for 1 to 2 days.
If you know someone with diabetes who has symptoms of diabetes burnout, you may be able to help them find relief.
1. Bring up your concerns
Connect with the person by stating your concern and desire to support them.
Romanoff suggested saying, “It looks like things have been challenging for you recently. What’s been on your mind, and what can I do to help?”
2. Empathize with their emotions
Give them space to express their frustrations and sadness, Ellis said.
You can “show empathy by recognizing the immense effort and energy required to manage a complicated condition,” Devje added.
3. Have fun together
Enjoy active adventures together intended for fun rather than talking about living with diabetes.
Helping them take a break from thinking about diabetes can be a reminder it doesn’t have to prevent them from enjoying life.
4. Celebrate their wins
Diabetes burnout can make it difficult to acknowledge the hard work it takes to manage diabetes.
Ross recommended praising them for their successes, such as following diet recommendations or exercising. This can give them a much-needed confidence boost.
Once you recover from diabetes burnout, try to find ways to keep it at bay.
1. Set small, doable goals
Achievable goals can set you up for success when you’re prioritizing your health. This might mean moving your body for 10 minutes after every meal or taking a brisk walk daily, Ellis said.
Small wins can build your confidence so you can achieve even bigger goals in the long term.
2. Find ways to reduce your stress levels
Stress can trigger or worsen burnout, so it’s important to develop ways to cope. Here are ways to reduce stress, according to the
- exercising
- getting plenty of rest
- talking with people you care about
- connecting with a mental health professional
- avoiding drinking alcohol or using drugs, if you drink or use drugs
3. Honor cultural values around food
Food is more than a source of nourishment. For many people, Devje said, it preserves:
- family traditions
- special memories
- culture
- identity
When you’re revamping your diet to manage diabetes, removing culturally significant foods can reduce the joy of eating and create a negative, fearful relationship around food, she said.
Consider connecting with a dietitian about how to continue incorporating culturally relevant foods into your meals if your diabetes management plan includes changes to your diet.
4. Try new tech
Technology can make developing healthy habits easier and more fun. You can try apps for cooking, exercise, meditation, or other self-care practices to add excitement to your daily life.
Diabetes burnout is a common experience that can leave you frustrated, exhausted, and unmotivated to stick to your treatment plan.
But you can recover from diabetes burnout and prevent it from coming back.
You may find relief by joining a diabetes support group, trying new recipes and types of exercise, or taking a brief break from your typical routine (with your healthcare team’s approval).
If you’re experiencing symptoms of diabetes burnout that make it difficult for you to manage the condition, talk with a healthcare professional about ways to cope.
