Dealing With the Ups and Downs of Diabetes

Still down?

Reach out for help. Talk to someone in your family or where you worship, a friend, a school counselor, teacher, or your doctor or diabetes educator. It might help to write down your feelings in a journal. If you still feel down or sad, ask your parents to help you find a counselor.

It is okay to ask for help.

Speak up

There are many people who care about you and want to help you stay healthy and happy. Your health care team (diabetes educator, dietitian, doctor, nurse, psychologist, and social worker) can help you learn how to make healthy food choices, be more active, and feel good about yourself. Stay in touch with them. Let your health care team know how you feel and what you need.

Let your school know what’s up

You or your parents need to give the school nurse, teacher, or other school staff a copy of your diabetes care plan. Let people at your school know you have diabetes and that you need to eat healthy foods, eat your meals, take your medicine on time, and be physically active.

Don’t let diabetes stop you from joining in school activities. You can do all the things your friends do and then some!

Mom, Dad, other family members, get with it!

It’s easier to manage diabetes when the whole family works at it with you. So…

• Ask your family to choose the same healthy foods you eat—fruits and vegetables; whole grain breads; and low-fat meats, milk, and cheese. Ask them to keep healthy foods in the house and not tempt you with cookies, cake, candy, or regular soda.
• Get everyone moving by being more physically active. Play hard. Shoot hoops, throw a ball, ride bikes, or go for a walk — together. Being active can also help you relax and lower stress.

What’s healthy for you is healthy for everyone in your family.

Want to meet other teens who feel like you do?

• Programs and support groups for teens with diabetes can be found in clinics, health centers, or hospitals. Ask your diabetes educator or doctor for help to find one that works for you.
• Head to a diabetes or weight loss summer camp. You will do all the things that other campers do: swim, hike, dance, and more. But the best part is that everyone has diabetes or is there to lose weight, just like you. Some groups may have funds to help pay for teens to attend summer camps.
• Find a pen pal or email buddy. Sometimes it is good to share how you feel about having diabetes with someone else.
• Check out the resources at the end of this tip sheet.

Still my friend?

Ever worry that your friends may have wrong ideas about diabetes?

• Tell them that you have diabetes. You don’t have to keep it to yourself. The more people know about diabetes, the more they will understand. Explain that your body needs help to use the food you eat.
• Be sure everyone knows that no one can catch diabetes from you.
• Good friends help each other out. They understand your needs and offer support. Hang on to friends who help you make healthy food choices when you are eating out.

Ever have kids make fun of you about your diabetes or weight?

Teasing hurts. The best thing is to just walk away.

Take Action!

It’s time for YOU to do something about your diabetes care.

• Set goals for what you will do. Start small and work your way up. For example: “I will cut down on regular soda and drink water instead.” When that’s going well…take the next step. Add another goal—“I will dance or bike ride a couple of times a week.” Then add a new goal—“I will eat smaller servings of cookies, burgers, and fries.”
• Try to make each new goal just a bit harder. After you shoot hoops twice a week, try adding another activity on three other days. Raise the goal until you reach a level that works for you.
• Avoid goals that will be too hard to meet. For example, rather than saying you’ll never eat a burger or a candy bar again, say you’ll only eat one a week.
• Tell your family or friends about your goals. Maybe they’ll be active with you or help out some other way.
• Reward yourself when you reach each goal. Keep in mind that rewards can be anything—not just food. You do not have to reach all your goals at once. Start with one or two, then add more.

Got it.

Take it one step at a time. Make healthy food choices, be more active, and work towards a healthy weight. Soon you’ll see progress and feel great.

Learn more! Check out…

National Diabetes Education Program
for free copies of other tip sheets for teens:

• What is Diabetes?
• Stay at a Healthy Weight
• Be Active
• Make Healthy Food Choices
• Lower Your Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

www.YourDiabetesInfo.org • 1-888-693-NDEP

Camps for young people with diabetes
www.diabetescamps.org

Parks and Recreation Youth Programs where you live Type the name of your town or city followed by “parks and recreation youth programs” into an online search engine.

American Diabetes Association (ADA) for help to manage diabetes www.diabetes.org/planetD

• Local ADA: www.diabetes.org/local or 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383)
• Write to ADA’s Diabetes Forecast Pen Pal Coordinator: P.O. Box 675, Gainesville, VA 20156

American Dietetic Association to find a dietitian near you www.eatright.org • 1-800-366-1655

Bam! Body and Mind website for ten tips to help you keep your cool
www.bam.gov/sub_yourlife/yourlife_feelingfrazzled.html

Children With Diabetes website for pen pals and more for kids and families with diabetes www.childrenwithdiabetes.com

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International for pen pals and help to manage diabetes
www.jdrf.org • 1-800-223-1138

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse for more about diabetes www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov
1-800-860-8747

WIN – Weight-control Information Network for weight control help

• Take Charge of Your Health! A Teenager’s Guide to Better Health

www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/take_charge.htm
1-877-946-4627