Diabetes is a disease that afflicts so many, and it symptoms tend to change a person’s diet and lifestyle in a pronounced way. For those who fear this disease, the idea of being diagnosed with diabetes is terrifying.
Reasons For This Phobia
Fearing diseases is quite natural, but persistent and intense fear of illnesses can cause a range of psychological and physical symptoms. People who develop Diabetophobia will become paranoid about Diabetes, and they will take pains to practice prevention that minimizes their risk of developing the disease.
When diabetes strikes, symptoms like skin rashes, plummeting blood sugar levels, and even diabetic comas can cause great discomfort, fear, and even death. While the disease can certainly be managed with medication, the monitoring of blood sugar levels, and proper diet, it is always a tricky business to keep the worst side effects of diabetes at bay. For those who have the disease, struggles to avoid sugar, fat, and other harmful foods can be epic. Losing the ability to enjoy sweet treats and to eat whatever is desired can cause a grief reaction in the afflicted. Horror stories of amputations and unconsciousness can create great psychological tension and even clinical depression.
Dealing With Diabetophobia
Whichever form of Diabetes is feared, the person with Diabetophobia will grow dizzy, agitated, and upset around triggers. With phobias, triggers can include literature and TV programmes about the disease, as well as stories from friends of family members. People who fear the disease often have a family medical history which predisposed them to developing Diabetes. Watching a loved one suffer through the rigors of managing the illness can create an atmosphere of negativity and nervousness.
Sometimes, people who consume a lot of junk foods or sweets will be more prone to fearing the disease: they feel their bad habits will come back to haunt them, and that they will develop Diabetes as a result of their poor eating habits. As well, many overweight or obese men, women, and children may feel more prone to contracting the illness. Weight gain and unhealthy lifestyles are contributing factors in developing the disease, but there is also a strong genetic component. It’s really difficult to say who will develop Diabetes and who will not. For many, the unpredictability of the disease can also be a trigger.
Phobias cause obsessions with the thing that is feared. Trying to avoid triggers can become a source of stress in and of itself. People with this phobia will spend a lot of time thinking about the disease and all the things it will do to their body and their way of life. In some cases, paranoia and strange, compulsive rituals can result from Diabetophobia. People may avoid sugar, exercise in a way that is extreme, or seek out unnecessary medical attention in order to stay “safe” from the disease.
Panic Treatment Can Really Help
Panic treatment or psychotherapy can be very beneficial here: getting to the heart of why you fear Diabetes can provide some release of tension. Education and proper medical care are also the best lines of defense against Diabetophobia.
The fear of Diabetes is also referred to as:
- Diabetes Fear
- afraid of Diabetes
- Diabetes Phobia
