Meet Your Diabetes Support Team (page 4 of 4)

A Healthy Mind and Body

Your Exercise Specialist
Your primary-care physician can approve an exercise plan, but he can't be your coach. If you're out of shape and haven't exercised since the Reagan administration (or just want a trainer's individual attention), you might want to design your fitness program with the help of an exercise physiologist. This person can custom-design a program that's safe for you, help you set realistic goals, and give you pointers on proper form and technique. Your exercise specialist could be a doctor (in this case, a Ph.D.) but doesn't have to be. You're looking for someone with graduate training (preferably at least a master's degree) in exercise science and a special interest in helping people with diabetes. She might be a certified diabetes educator or -- ideally -- someone certified by the American College of Sports Medicine. Start by asking your doctor to recommend a physiologist he's worked with before.

Your Counselor
Whether you need help handling the emotional aspects of diabetes is your call, but you should realize that it's not strictly a mental-health issue. People who are angry, depressed, or anxious are more likely to neglect their care, so emotional support can, in effect, help stabilize your blood sugar as well as your mind and mood. You have three basic types of mental-health experts from which to choose. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has received advanced training in psychological disorders and can write prescriptions for drugs, such as anti-anxiety medications or antidepressants. A psychologist doesn't have a medical degree (but usually has a Ph.D.) and can't prescribe drugs, but he can help you recognize and overcome destructive or self-defeating ways of thinking. A social worker usually has less training in mental health (typically a master's degree) but can help you cope with emotional troubles along with such practical challenges as dealing with insurance companies, hospitals, and government agencies.

Check out Diabetes Resources for information and support about living with, and preventing, diabetes.

From Stopping Diabetes in Its Tracks

 

• • Friendship
• Diabetes