Type 2 Diabetes Burnout
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Do You Have Type 2 Diabetes Burnout?

Do You Have Type 2 Diabetes Burnout?
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Updated on May 16, 2025
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Type 2 diabetes requires near-constant management and monitoring: You have to keep tabs on your blood sugar levels, your medication, what you eat, when you eat, how active you are, and more. Concerns about potential complications of diabetes may also be taking up space in your brain.

It’s not easy, and caring for your emotional health shouldn’t be pushed to the side. Research shows that managing stress with techniques like getting plenty of sleep, relaxing for 15 to 20 minutes each day, and taking time to acknowledge the things that can’t be changed can help you manage the condition more effectively.

What Is Diabetes Burnout?

It’s normal to feel worn down occasionally, but diabetes burnout means something different.
What Is Diabetes Burnout?

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The Basics of Type 2 Diabetes Burnout

“Living with diabetes can be challenging. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by diabetes and all that comes with it,” says Jenny DeJesus, CDCES, a nurse practitioner at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

Burnout is the feeling of being overwhelmed or exhausted by physical or emotional stress. You may feel at times that sticking with your type 2 diabetes care plan is more than you can handle. For example, you may get frustrated having to consistently monitor your blood sugar and watch your diet. Know that these are normal feelings that you can take steps to manage. Doing so can help prevent mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.

People with diabetes are 20 percent more likely to experience anxiety than people without diabetes. However, certain activities, such as seeking out therapy for anxiety, doing relaxation exercises, and practicing self-care, can go a long way toward reducing anxiety.

Tips for Preventing Diabetes Burnout

You can help prevent negative feelings from escalating by identifying ways to ease stress. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Take some time each day to meditate or practice deep breathing.
  • Keep a journal of what makes you feel better and brings you joy. Taking this time to reflect can help improve well-being.
  • Add movement to your daily routine. Getting just 15 minutes of exercise can boost your feel-good hormones. Daily movement can also help you manage your blood sugar levels.
  • Start making small changes to your routine now. For example, if you’re looking to get more exercise, plan a walking meeting with a coworker or take a walk around the block after lunch.

Finding Ways to Cope With the Challenges of Living With Diabetes

Because managing type 2 diabetes is typically a lifelong commitment, you’ll probably experience burnout at some point, despite your best efforts. The first step toward dealing with it is to recognize you may need to accept help in some aspects of your diabetes care. Try to figure out what factors caused you to burn out, and seek help to address them so you can restore your quality of life.

Reaching out for support from friends and family is essential to relieving diabetes burnout. “They can help you put things into perspective and get back on track,” says DeJesus.

Randy Pike, a news reporter in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, who has been living with type 2 diabetes for more than 15 years, knows how helpful family can be. “My wife generally notices signs that I need to eat better than I do,” he says.

The more your family and friends know and understand type 2 diabetes, the greater a resource they can be for you. They can go with you to diabetes care and education classes or help you stick with your eating and exercise routines at home.

Your healthcare team is another important resource. Doctors, nurses, and dietitians who specialize in diabetes care understand problems you may be having. The Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists has a tool for finding diabetes education programs in your area.

What’s more, there are plenty of options for connecting with peers who are also managing diabetes, which is known to support mental health and diabetes management. For example, online communities for diabetes can boost participants’ overall mental and physical health, ultimately helping them better manage their diabetes.

If you’d like to connect with others with diabetes, find a local American Diabetes Association office near you, or search for online communities on social media.

If you discuss your situation with your family, your care team, and your peers, they can offer you insights to better manage your stress.

The Takeaway

  • Day-to-day management of diabetes can cause stress and lead to burnout. These feelings are normal, and there are steps you can take to manage them.
  • Easing and managing stress by taking time for relaxation every day and getting enough sleep can help you manage diabetes more effectively.
  • To prevent diabetes burnout, try to incorporate small changes into your daily routine, add more movement to your day, and keep a journal of how you’re feeling and what brings you joy.
  • Tell trusted friends and family members about your diabetes management plan and how you’re feeling. They can help you stick with your eating and exercise routines and attend doctor appointments or diabetes care and education classes with you.

Resources We Trust

Additional reporting by Kristeen Cherney.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Eshete A et al. Association of Stress Management Behavior and Diabetic Self-Care Practice Among Diabetes Type II Patients in North Shoa Zone: A Cross-Sectional Study. BMC Health Services Research. July 19, 2023.
  2. Diabetes and Mental Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024.
  3. 10 Tips to Ease Diabetes Stress. American Diabetes Association.
  4. Helping Friends and Family With Diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024.
  5. Find Diabetes Education and Support Programs. Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists.
  6. Litchman ML et al. In-Person and Technology-Mediated Peer Support in Diabetes Care: A Systematic Review of Reviews and Gap Analysis. The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care. June 2020.
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Anna L. Goldman, MD

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Anna L. Goldman, MD, is a board-certified endocrinologist. She teaches first year medical students at Harvard Medical School and practices general endocrinology in Boston.

Dr. Goldman attended college at Wesleyan University and then completed her residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, where she was also a chief resident. She moved to Boston to do her fellowship in endocrinology at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She joined the faculty after graduation and served as the associate program director for the fellowship program for a number of years.

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Marijke Vroomen Durning, RN

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Marijke Vroomen Durning is an RN and health writer in Montreal, Quebec, and enjoys taking complicated medical information and translating it so everyone can understand. She has been published online and in print, for outlets and organizations like HealthyWomen, WebMD, Costco Connection, Forbes, Oncology Nursing News, NextAvenue, Sepsis Alliance, and the American Association of Family Physicians (Your Essential Guide to Health and Wellbeing). She is also the author of the book Just the Right Dose: Your Smart Guide to Prescription Medications and How to Take Them Safely.
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