Decision Fatigue
The continuous need to make critical health decisions daily.
This story below is an example of me in overwhelm decision fatigue mode.
What once was fun and carefree now has a lot of stress to go along with it. This was a couple years ago and I am thankful that with time and practice going out for icecream is not as scary as it was for me then.
One summer day
One day a couple years into our diabetes journey our family decided to go for ice cream. Sounds easy right? Why would that give me stress? What once was fun and carefree had become a source of uncertainty and fear for me.
Looking up at the ice cream menu chalkboard with a hundred options (see pic below) gave me overwhelming anxiety.
As soon as I looked at it I felt panicked over what decision to make. I was frozen. My husband was asking me what size of ice cream we should get our kids with type 1 diabetes.
I could not even look at the board. I started to tear up and told him that he needed to make the decision because I just could not. He didnt get that I was in “freeze” mode and I jus told him he needed to make the decision and I left the store crying.
I was NOT READY to make a decision. In my head I had all these questions below:
So many questions
What is their blood sugar now?
Is their going to be activity after the ice cream?
Guessing how many carbs in a 1 scoop and a 2 scoop?
What will the impact of the fat be?
Do I need to extend?
How long of a pre bolus does this need?
I don’t remember what happened to their blood sugar that day.
But I remember the weight in my chest. The tightness in my throat. The way one small, ordinary moment suddenly felt impossibly heavy.
It wasn’t really about ice cream.
It was about the thousands of invisible decisions that come before and after it.
The constant calculating. The never-ending “what ifs.”
The pressure of knowing that even something meant to be joyful still requires a plan.
“IDC” Acroynm
Has your teenager or someone ever texted you back “IDC”. Meaning “I Dont Care”.
My teenagers will say this sometimes if I ask them something about their diabetes. A counsellor once reminded me that our kids wont care as much as we care – and thats normal. They are just focused on their life and diabetes is not on the top of the list like it is for us.
When I do say “I Dont Care”. That’s usually a sign I’m tired, overwhelmed, or already holding too much.
That my nervous system needs a break.
Listen here to a favorite podcast of mine called The Calm and Confident Podcast. She explains that letting decisions linger can drain your energy, and that every “yes” or “no” is a decision that shapes your life. To make decisions more confidently, she introduces an easy-to-remember framework using the acronym IDC:
- I – Inform yourself: Gather information and insights so you understand the situation.
- D – Decide with what you know: Choose the best option you can based on your current understanding.
- C – Communicate clearly: Let the people affected by your choice know what you’ve decided and why.
This episode helps you approach decisions, big and small with more confidence and less avoidance, so you can reduce overwhelm and move forward in life with more clarity. This episode HERE is on Decision making.
Self Compassion
One thing I have learned a lot about is self compassion. I am someone that hates to make mistakes. But I have learned I am human and that I need to treat myself the way I would a friend.
Moral of the story is diabetes can be overwhelming and you are not alone if you are struggling💙
Lack of Control
Another theme that has come for me has been “Lack of Control”: The unpredictability of T1D can make us moms feel out of control, exacerbating our stress and anxiety.
One thing that has helped me with this is the book “Sugar Surfing”. We dont always know the outcome but we can make micro adjustments when we do end up making a decision that leads to out of range blood sugars.
My goal is for my kids blood sugars to be meeting the targets. Not perfect. Some days are great and some days are a dumpster fire lol.
If you can relate follow along as I share more about T1D mom life and balancing all the overwhelm and feelings of anxiety that come along with it.
With love,
Lana
Doing Diabetes Different 