Type 1 diabetes diagnosis brings a rush of new information, routines, and worries. Suddenly, you’re juggling blood sugar checks, insulin shots, and meal planning.
Learning to manage blood sugar, count carbs, and administer insulin is a huge task on its own. Things, however, are more challenging if you’re a regular drinker.
That is because alcohol doesn’t just affect your mood but also your blood sugar, your safety, and your long-term health. This is why it’s important to get over alcohol addiction when you’re managing Type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Here are a few practical steps from Personal-Development that you can take to build a healthier, alcohol-free life while battling T1D.
How Does Alcohol Affect Blood Sugar?
When you have T1D, your body’s relationship with alcohol carries serious risks.
Your liver is busy processing alcohol, so it stops doing other important tasks. One of those tasks is releasing stored sugar, or glucose, into your bloodstream to keep the levels stable. This creates a major risk for dangerously low blood sugar or hypoglycemia.
What’s dangerous is that this doesn’t happen right away. It takes your liver about 1 hour to process one standard alcoholic drink. If you have several drinks, your liver can be busy for many hours.
Drinking alcohol can also cause a significant drop in blood sugar levels in the next few hours. This is because alcohol can suppress your body’s release of growth hormone, which normally helps keep blood sugar up overnight. The risk of severe low blood sugar can last for up to 24 hours after your last drink.
The danger of delayed hypoglycemia is amplified by a frightening fact. That is, the symptoms of severe low blood sugar are nearly identical to the symptoms of being drunk.
Confusion, slurred speech, dizziness, sleepiness, and lack of coordination are all classic signs of both hypoglycemia and intoxication. This means you or your friends might not recognize a medical emergency when it’s happening.
Tips to Overcome Alcohol Addiction After a Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis
Making this change can feel like a monumental task, but you have so much power to create a new, healthier life. Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Build a New Routine
Addiction often thrives in chaos and unstructured time. A predictable routine helps reduce anxiety and minimize the idle time where cravings can creep in.
A consistent sleep schedule is one of the cornerstones of a healthy routine. Try to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, which can boost your energy levels and stabilize the hormones that affect blood sugar.
Eat regular, balanced meals. It helps prevent the energy crashes and hunger pangs that can trigger cravings for alcohol.
For people with Type 1 Diabetes, the key to stable blood sugar is eating regular meals with a consistent amount of carbs. Focus on meals that combine lean protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Exercise is an excellent way to improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin, so engage in it every day.
2. Seek Professional Support
Don’t try to overcome alcohol addiction as a diabetic alone; seek professional support instead.
Your primary care doctor or endocrinologist can connect you with addiction specialists who understand the added layer of complications that diabetes brings.
Across the U.S., you’ll also find plenty of accessible programs that support sobriety. From outpatient counseling to residential rehab centers, options exist across states.
In Arizona, for instance, there are 65 inpatient drug and alcohol rehab centers, 323 outpatient programs, 92 detox centers, and 5 luxury residential facilities. If you’re from the Grand Canyon State, you won’t have trouble finding accessible programs to support sobriety in Arizona.
While you can go for any, a residential treatment program would be the right pick. These programs are especially helpful if you’re dealing with both substance use and mental health challenges.
According to Purpose Healing Center, people who struggle with alcohol abuse are very likely to also have other mental health challenges.
Residential support for mental health disorders and alcohol addiction typically lasts 28 to 60 days. However, in case of severe addiction, it may extend to 90 days.
3. Replace the Habit with Something Positive
Sobriety opens up a lot of time and space in your life. So, fill that space with activities that genuinely improve your life and health. This isn’t just about distracting yourself but rediscovering what brings you joy and building a life so rich that alcohol simply has no place in it.
Discover new hobbies that engage your hands and mind. Cooking becomes especially meaningful when you have diabetes. Learning to make delicious, blood sugar-friendly meals gives you a sense of accomplishment and directly benefits your health.
Gardening, crafts, or learning a musical instrument can provide the same relaxation that alcohol used to offer.
The Importance of Local Resources and Social Activities
Build social connections that don’t revolve around drinking. Join diabetes support groups, fitness classes, or volunteer organizations. You’ll meet people who share your interests and values, creating friendships based on shared activities rather than shared drinks.
Replacing the habit doesn’t mean forcing yourself to be busy 24/7. It just means finding things that help you cope, feel good, and reconnect with yourself.
This journey is yours, and you have the strength to walk it. Be patient and kind to yourself. Every day you choose health is a day to be proud of. And don’t ever forget that you have the courage and the capability to take back control and build a future that is healthy, happy, and truly your own.