Is Your Diabetes Tech Helping or Hurting? Mental Health & T1D Innovations

Is your diabetes tech helping or hindering your mental health? IN EPISODE 79 of Think Like a Pancreas—The Podcast , Integrated Diabetes Services clinicians Alicia Downs and Anna Sabino explore how diabetes technology can impact your mental wellbeing—both positively and negatively. Having each lived with type 1 diabetes for over 20 years, Alicia and Anna share why it’s sometimes important to pause and listen to your body rather than focus solely on device data. Tune in as they provide practical strategies to help you make the most of your diabetes tools—and recognize when technology may be contributing to burnout. MEET YOUR HOSTS: Alicia Downs,  RN, MSN, CDCES,  BC-ADM experienced years of mis-diagnoses and ineffective treatments that gave her the incentive to take the lead in her own health care and educate those around her. Alicia is passionate about providing educated compassionate informed and equitable care to all people. Anna Sabino MSW, CDCES is a Mental Health Specialist who has been living with T1D for over 30 years and proudly offers expert emotional health counseling for children, adults, and families with T1D.  Her areas of expertise include family dynamics, crisis management, anxiety, depression, burnout, and post-traumatic stress. KEY TAKEAWAYS AND HIGHLIGHTS: ✔️ Tech or no tech, it is important to listen to your body. ✔️ The importance of understanding the goal of using technology. ✔️ How to learn from failure. ✔️ We drive the behavior of our devices. ✔️ How you and your tech can become a winning team.   CHAPTERS: 00:00  Intro: Meet Anna Sabino and Alicia Downs 04:30 The Challenge of Waiting: CGM Lag and Rage Bolusing 06:15 Overcoming Information Overload and Paralysis 08:50 Balancing Overwhelm and Trust 14:32 Trusting Your Tech Does Not Mean Blind Trust 18:25 Navigating Discomfort 22:22 Tools for Setting Realistic Operating Expectations 25:24 The Need for Constant Diabetes Education 28:54 Identifying Your Goals for Using Technology 32:57 Adjusting Your Perspective 37:58 How to Identify and Deal Tech Burnout 43:45 Learning Integration 48:08 Understanding the fundamentals 51:09 How and when to react RESOURCES: How to Manage Diabetes Alarm Fatigue for Better Sleep CONNECT WITH US: 🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com 🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook 🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/how-to-start-the-process/ ,  or email [email protected] SUBSCRIBE AND REVIEW If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!   Disclaimer The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.