When T1D Meets Mindfulness

When T1D Meets Mindfulness

Here’s what I thought I knew about type 1 diabetes growing up: my blood sugar levels control my day, carbs are the enemy, it’s best to err on the side of having high blood sugar whilst exercising, when my glucose levels are out-of-range I’m a failure, and finally, the biggest and most unhelpful belief of mine: if my blood sugar goes low, I’ll die. Here’s what I know now: not even one of those beliefs has to be true.

As a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) in her mid-twenties, diagnosed with T1D at 6 years old, it had become quite difficult to ignore all those unhelpful beliefs I had about living with T1D. In therapy, we like to call those beliefs ‘stuck points’; unwanted, unhelpful, and persistent ideas that form the way we think, feel, and behave. The good news? Stuck points can become ‘unstuck’, and this is where I hand the microphone over to our dear friend: Mindfulness.

1. Slow down to notice a ‘sticky’ thought, feeling, or behaviour, and get curious about it.

Since automatic responses happen well, automatically, Mindfulness interrupts this cycle by allowing us to shift from autopilot to intention. When we give space to slow down and notice what our stuck points are, we get to explore why they exist in the first place.

For example, say you’re in the business of overcorrecting with sugary treats when you’re blood glucose is low.

Consider: What motivates me to do this? Maybe you’re worried the low will interrupt your day, you look at the low as an excuse to indulge, you’re scared of passing out (and maybe even not waking up), and/or you simply don’t like the feeling of hypoglycemia.

Being curious and non-judgmental about our stuck points gives us space to validate why they exist, rather than getting angry at ourselves when we see our blood sugar skyrocket later.

2. Stay on pause and consider alternate routes to safety.

It’s important to remind ourselves that our stuck points are trying to keep us safe, say, to protect us from fainting, being interrupted, or feeling sick. Here’s the caveat: stuck points tend to cause more harm than good, and it is up to us to release them from their roles.

For example, say you avoid eating before hitting the gym because it feels wrong giving yourself insulin before a workout. You recognize how skipping meals, especially before exercising is not optimal for performance or recovery, but you can’t seem to break out of this cycle.

Consider: What else can I do to feel safe right now? Maybe this looks like eating and dosing insulin but bring extra glucose tabs and low snacks in your bag, dosing only a portion of the suggested amount depending on the type of exercise you’re doing, having emergency contacts accessible on your phone or in-person, telling a staff member you’re diabetic so you don’t feel alone—the list goes on.

Reassuring ourselves that we are safe to let go of our stuck points is essential for building self-trust and making new, healthier choices.

3. Choose your path from a place of self-love instead of fear.

Once we have noticed our stuck point and reassured ourselves that we are safe to think, feel, and act differently, now comes the time to choose love instead of fear. What I mean by this, is to respond instead of reacting — a response is slow, thoughtful, and caring, whereas a reaction is impulsive, automatic, and fearful.

For example, say you feel like a failure every time you see your blood-sugar levels are out-of-range. After navigating steps 1 and 2 as above, you’ve learned that your inner critic tells you you’re a failure in efforts to scare you into controlling your glucose levels. But you’ve also learned that you feel safest when reminding yourself that your glucose levels are not a reflection of your self-worth or identity. The former is fear, the latter, is love. Fear sends our stress levels and glucose levels on a roller coaster ride, whereas love grounds them.

Instead of scaring ourselves into ‘getting a grip’ on our T1D, I invite you to boldly love yourself into navigating T1D, walking alongside this condition with curiosity, and openness to change.

Kirsten Davidson is a Registered Psychotherapist and the Founder of Mind The Gaps Psychotherapy. Her approach empowers individuals to step out of their comfort zones and into their growth zones. Having lived with Type 1 Diabetes since the age of six, Kirsten brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to her work with individuals navigating T1D.

Email: [email protected]
Website: mindthegaps.co
Instagram: @kirsten.davidson
LinkedIn: Kirsten Davidson
Facebook: Mind The Gaps Psychotherapy
Phone: (289) 514-5165