If you are newly diagnosed with diabetes or looking for new avenues of self-care, joining a support group is a great way to receive support and gain perspective.

I would describe attending my first support group to feeling like I was finally with people who spoke the same language as I did. It felt like such a relief.

The Mayo Clinic offers the following benefits to joining a support group:

• Feeling less isolated or judged.
• Reducing distress, depression, anxiety, or fatigue.
• Talking openly and honestly about your feelings.
• Improving skills to cope with challenges.
• Staying motivated to manage chronic conditions or stick to treatment plans.
• Gaining a sense of empowerment, control or hope.
• Improving understanding of a disease and your own experience with it.
• Getting practical feedback about treatment options.
• Learning about health, economic or social resources.

For me, being able to talk openly and honestly about my feelings, especially the negative ones, was very helpful, and I learned about some great resources. While I can truly attest to the advantages listed, it is also true that not all support groups are supportive.

It can be a waste of time sitting in a poorly facilitated group and listening over and over again to the same people dominating the conversation.

There are other things to consider.

• What kind of training has the facilitator received? Do they lay down reasonable ground rules for participation and enforce them?
• It is possible that you might be more comfortable with people who share your ethnic background or a gender-specific meeting, for example.
• Group members need to take confidentiality seriously, and you should feel comfortable with everyone’s commitment to keeping what is said in the group private.

If you decide to attend a support group, give it a few sessions before you decide whether it is a good fit, and don’t give up. In my case, time and location were the primary factors in selecting a group.

The group that worked best for my busy schedule was made up of older mostly very affluent women. Not the best fit for a middle-class working girl, but I learned so much from those women and they were so supportive.

I am glad I gave myself time to feel comfortable and get the true feel of the group. Still, if you attend for a few weeks and do not feel comfortable, it is fine to move on and try a different support group.

With the pandemic at an end, joining a support group is a good way to start interacting with other humans in person again. Online options are still available. How do you find a support group? Start with your doctor, hospital or clinic.

Your local hospital likely has a diabetes education center that assists you. Reach out to nonprofit organizations that advocate for diabetes, such as the American Diabetes Association.

Lastly, remember that a support group, no matter how it benefits you, should not take the place of medical or mental health care. Talk to your doctor about how support groups can be integrated into your care plan.

RJB