Summer is here and as Canadians are getting vaccinated against COVID-19, we have decided to take a break from our live Let’s Talk T1D events on Microsoft Teams, and package them in a way that is more convenient for the summer months.
More Canadians are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and restrictions across the country are easing. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. However, we know that the past 16 months have not been easy, and we’ve all faced different challenges in our lives, including mental health challenges, especially for those impacted by type 1 diabetes (T1D). We know that this pandemic may have been a contributing factor to diabetes burnout and pandemic fatigue.
As part of this month’s Let’s Talk T1D – education series, we are bringing you information on this topic- one that important to you, as we saw in the results of a survey we sent out to the T1D community.
In this email you will find links to two videos discussing diabetes burnout and pandemic fatigue. We reached out to Dr. Michael Vallis, Registered Health Psychologist out of Dalhousie University, and Cathy and Anne Pettigrew, a mother and daughter to answer some of your questions.
In the videos they will address some common questions such as:
- What is diabetes distress and burnout and how common is it for people with T1D to experience it?
- What are some of the signs to watch out for that a person might be experiencing diabetes distress or burnout? (Are they emotional, physical, or both?)
- Were concerns about diabetes distress and burnout intensified during the pandemic?
- When is it time to seek help?
- What would you like the T1D community to know about prioritizing their emotional health and well-being?
We thank Dr. Vallis and Anne and Cathy Pettigrew for providing their time, expertise and willingness to share so that we can share with our community and help other who may be experiencing the same know that they are not alone, and support is available.
For other JDRF resources.
To watch the videos, click here:
