Connecting to Care: Finding Behavioral Health Resources for People With Diabetes | Recording-Connecting to Care: Finding Behavioral Health Resources for People With Diabetes

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar, held during Mental Health Awareness Month, focused on finding behavioral health resources for people living with diabetes. Speakers Beth Braun, Erika Forsyth, and Erika Rutledge discussed the emotional and psychological burden of diabetes, including distress, burnout, depression, anxiety, guilt, shame, fear, anger, trauma, and eating disorders. They explained how diabetes creates a constant mental load through daily decisions, blood sugar fluctuations, insurance hassles, and fear of complications. They also emphasized that diabetes distress is common and distinct from depression, though it can overlap and significantly affect self-management and outcomes.<br /><br />The presenters highlighted the impact of stigma, especially when patients are blamed or judged by others or by healthcare providers. They stressed the importance of using person-first, nonjudgmental language and validating patients’ experiences rather than shaming them. They also described barriers to care, including grief after diagnosis, fear of hypoglycemia, learning challenges, financial strain, limited support, and trauma related to medical experiences.<br /><br />A major portion of the webinar offered practical resources for connecting patients to mental health support. These included the ADA Mental Health Directory, Psychology Today, the National Register of Health Service Psychologists, PSYPACT, insurance provider lists, employee assistance programs, crisis hotlines, support groups, ADA support communities, and diabetes camps for youth. The speakers also shared a link tree of resources and encouraged follow-up, empathy, and ongoing screening for distress.<br /><br />The session ended with Q&A on supporting teens, type 1 vs. type 2 differences, non-behavioral health providers, and culturally and linguistically appropriate resources.

Keywords

diabetes distress

mental health

behavioral health resources

diabetes burnout

stigma

depression

anxiety

person-first language

support groups

ADA Mental Health Directory