First, learn all that you can about diabetes. The more you know, the more you are able to weigh the positives and negatives of the choices you have to make. Ask your provider for a referral to a diabetes education program in your area. Second, work with your diabetes care provider to develop a plan to manage your diabetes that matches your goals and abilities. Be honest about what you can and cannot do. Remember, you are the one who has diabetes and lives with it each day. You are the expert on yourself and your life. Third, be honest with yourself.

It may be tempting to shift the decisions to your health care team or blame the people around you for your outcomes. But when we do not accept responsibility, we become victims of our situation.

If you are struggling with this level of responsibility, there are some questions that you can ask yourself to try to understand more about why you feel this way.

• What stands in the way of accepting responsibility for my diabetes?
• What are the negatives of feeling forced to behave in certain ways?
• What are the positives of feeling controlled by diabetes?
• What are the negatives of accepting responsibility for diabetes care?
• What are the benefits of accepting responsibility for diabetes care?
• What one thing can you do this week to take charge of diabetes care?

Power comes from accepting responsibility for our choices and our lives. Taking responsibility for managing your diabetes gives you power and control over your diabetes and your life.

—
Martha M. Funnell, MS, RN, CDE
Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center
University of Michigan Medical School
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Robert M. Anderson, EdD
Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center
University of Michigan Medical School
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Shereen Arent, JD
National Director of Legal Advocacy
American Diabetes Association

American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes