Common anxieties and the Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS)

Having stress or anxiety is common and perfectly normal. It's also helpful to know that you are not alone in feeling anxious about diabetes issues in particular.

The Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) was developed specifically to assess those common anxieties, and to open up conversation between a person with diabetes and their healthcare professional. The Diabetes Distress Scale is based around 17 statements, in which the person with diabetes rates their response from "Not a Problem" to "A very Serious Problem".

This DDS includes statements such as: "Feeling angry, scared and/or depressed when I think about living with diabetes" and "Feeling that I will end up with serious long-term complications, no matter what I do". Some of these feelings may be identified as hypoglycaemia anxiety (fear of experiencing hypoglycaemia) and a fear of long-term complications – two of the most common anxieties that people living with diabetes can face.

A person with hypoglycaemia anxiety may go out of their way – in a way that negatively impacts their life – to avoid having hypoglycaemia in unpleasant settings, such as avoiding public situations, avoiding driving, or eating more than needed.

There are certain ways to address the problem, such as learning warning signs for hypoglycaemia. Most importantly though, a person with such anxieties – whether hypoglycaemia related or otherwise – can talk to a healthcare professional about these feelings. They may advise techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), or speaking with a therapist. Quick access to mental healthcare is not always a given, however. In these situations, opening up with friends or family about anxieties may also provide some relief.