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Diabetic Phobias and How to Manage Them

 People with diabetes can experience other types of diabetes-specific anxiety, including anxiety about hyperglycemia, a diabetes-related complication of needle injections etc. Extreme or overwhelming anxiety can be a problem if it affects your diabetes management. For parents, crippling anxiety can result in things like difficulty sleeping with children, discouraging marital relationships, staying up for hours that will affect their own health. Read more to understand different types of diabetes phobias and how to manage them with the expert help from Dasman Clinic, the best diabetes clinic in Kuwait





  • Needle Phobia

Insulin-dependent diabetics can have significant difficulties if they suffer from needle phobia. Needle phobia can develop into a fear that can get out of control and become aggressive and challenging. According to studies conducted, anxiety and fear of injection-related pain affect 30% to 50% of patients when they begin education and intervention about diabetes.

Relaxation practices such as holding a deep breath for a few seconds before administering the needle can be helpful to overcome the anxiety that can help you cope with a needle phobia.

  • Fear of Hypos

The fear of hypoglycemia is a normal response as it can help you keep alert to hypoglycemic symptoms, but extreme anxiety can be a problem if it affects your diabetes management. Fear of complications from elevated blood glucose levels is a risk factor for hypoglycemia. As we have seen today, your fear of this disease is an obstacle to better glycemic management.

Your healthcare team can take proactive measures with the awareness of hypoglycemia to help you overcome fear and anxiety by educating you regarding the better management of glycemic index.

  • Fear of Blood Test

The blood glucose test is an essential part of keeping type 2 diabetes at bay. If you skipped the test because you want to avoid needle pricking, you are not alone. The fear of having to test your blood sugar can limit the treatment of diabetes with insulin because you need to know how your blood sugar reacts to it. This means that you have to overcome this fear if you want to control your diabetes effectively. 


Let your medical team know about your phobia of a blood test before you start the procedure so that they can help you with breathing and relaxation techniques that can help you deal with it. 



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