It’s Diabetes Awareness month – lots of diagnosis stories are being shared, lots of tears.
By: Anna Sabino MSW, CDCES, Emotional Health Counselor
Sometimes I wish I was more of a crier. Maybe my tolerance for mental pain and shame with T1D has taught me to hold it in? It takes a helluva lot for me to cry. Not because I’m not frustrated or upset, but because I’m probably holding on too long to the root of my issues and end up utilizing unhealthy coping strategies.
Sometimes I feel like I SHOULD be stronger, that diabetes isn’t a good enough excuse to feel all the feels. I know I’m not alone here. Diabetes is isolating and invisible.
The majority of my sessions this past week involved tears from clients. They all had one thing in common. THEY APOLOGIZED FOR CRYING!
Why is that?
Crying is a way of expressing a feeling in our body. We own our feelings.
For the first time or maybe the first time that day, you might feel a sense of relief, connection, and dare I say it relaxation.
Why do we apologize?
Isn’t this is why we exist as humans…to have feelings? I LOVE when clients cry-it means I’ve done my job. To provide a safe space to let it all out.
Breathe in….breathe out.
I give you full permission to first tell yourself that it is ok to cry-and to be honest, if someone told me “nah, I have never cried about having diabetes ever”, that would just be…weird?
If you find yourself wanting to cry-do it.
Then tell yourself I’m upset and that’s ok. Labeling the feeling allows you to meet the feeling where it is instead of trying to fight it.
Then come see me in therapy, and we can really get into it.
I would love to hear your story, and listen to you cry if that is your body’s way of releasing your thoughts.
– Anna
