How we drift off track in T1D management and why it happens quietly. It’s less about dramatic crashes and more about the slow blur of basic habits.
What You’ll Learn
Course Correction Steps
Audit your routine by listing the habits you’ve let slide and pick one to tighten up this week. Finish the prompt “I tend to get off track when…” and share it with Neil for accountability.
Take Action
Identify one area where you’ve drifted and commit to a small course correction this week. Send your prompt to Neil on social media to join the conversation.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon
Type 1 Diabetes – One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes – True Stories
How to build clinical, personal, and peer support teams that actually reduce diabetes distress. Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• Support team types - Clinical, personal, and peer support networks
• Gap identification - How to spot missing support areas
• Team building - Simple steps to expand your support network
• November preview - 'Mind the Gap' theme for getting back on track
Three Support Teams
Clinical: Endocrinologist, educator, primary care | Personal: Family, friends, people who check in | Peer: Other T1Ds who say 'me too'
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
How to audit and adjust your CGM and pump alarms to reduce tech-related diabetes distress. Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• Alarm fatigue - Why too many alerts increase stress and burnout
• Settings audit - How to review and adjust CGM/pump thresholds
• Alert zones - Different settings for day vs night
• Smart silence - Using snooze strategically to manage mental load
Tech Clean-Up Steps
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
Neil Greathouse sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Bill Polonsky, founder of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute and one of the pioneers behind the concept of diabetes distress.
They unpack what diabetes distress really is (and what it isn’t), why it’s so common, and how both people with T1D and their caregivers can navigate the emotional weight of this disease without shame or burnout.
This conversation is equal parts validation and practical encouragement—proof that you’re not broken, you’re just managing something relentlessly difficult.
What You’ll Learn
• The difference between diabetes distress vs. depression—and why antidepressants don’t fix burnout
• How often people with T1D experience distress (spoiler: almost everyone does at some point)
• What the Type 1 Diabetes Distress Assessment System (T1-DDS) measures and how to use it
• Why caregivers—especially parents—experience their own version of distress
• How to rebuild hope and control when diabetes feels overwhelming
Take Action
👉 Take the free T1-DDS 7-question or 29-question assessment at diabetesdistress.org
to better understand your current level of distress.
👉 Share your results with your healthcare team or a friend who “gets it.”
👉 Remember: you’re not failing—you’re learning how to manage something relentless.
Resources
• T1-DDS Assessments & Research: diabetesdistress.org
• Your Best T1D Year newsletter + free resources: https://yourbestt1dyear.com
• Behavioral Diabetes Institute: https://behavioraldiabetes.org
Sponsor
💙 Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life.
Get matched with a real diabetes care team at https://bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
📱 Instagram → @thebetes
📱 TikTok → @the.betes
🌐 Website → https://yourbestt1dyear.com
Books by Neil Greathouse
📚 Type 1 Diabetes – One Day at a Time
📚 Type 1 Diabetes – True Stories
Available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible
Why connecting with other T1Ds can reduce diabetes distress and where to find real support. Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• Support types - Formal groups, online communities, one-on-one connections
• Research benefits - How peer support reduces distress and builds confidence
• Finding community - Where to connect with people who actually get it
• Quality markers - Empathy and 'me too' moments vs judgment
Support Options
Formal Groups: Clinic or nonprofit programs | Online Communities: Instagram, TikTok, forums | Personal Connections: Mentors, friends, text support
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
Practical mindfulness techniques that actually work for people with type 1 diabetes. Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• Practical techniques - CGM pause, 60-second reset, name without judgment
• Research benefits - How mindfulness reduces distress and improves decisions
• Real-life application - No mountaintop meditation required
• Quick practices - 10 minutes daily makes a measurable difference
Three Simple Techniques
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
Research shows two proven approaches to reducing diabetes distress - skills-based and emotion-focused. Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• T1-REDEEM study results - Two proven paths to reduce diabetes distress
• Skills-based approach - Problem-solving, decision-making, management confidence
• Emotion-focused approach - Self-compassion, burnout coping, emotional load
• Path selection - How to identify which approach you need right now
Two Proven Approaches
Skills Path: Better troubleshooting, updated settings, management refreshers
Feelings Path: Self-compassion, emotional support, burnout relief
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
How to identify your personal diabetes distress triggers with a simple tracking method. Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• Trigger identification - Simple method to spot your diabetes distress patterns
• Tracking technique - What happened, what triggered it, how you felt
• Pattern recognition - How to map recurring stress points
• Actionable data - Using trigger info to address root causes
Simple Tracking Method
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
The detailed 28-question diabetes distress scale reveals exactly where stress hits hardest. Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• Distress categories - Powerlessness, management, hypoglycemia, healthcare, family, eating, social
• Detailed assessment - How the 28-question version provides specific insights
• Personalized results - Why seeing exact struggle areas matters
• Solution guidance - How detailed scores guide targeted interventions
The 7 Distress Categories
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
The Other Side of Type 1 Diabetes: My Wife Gina on What It’s Really Like
Thirty years, three DKAs, countless alarms - and one marriage that somehow survived it all.
In this episode, Neil sits down with his wife Gina Greathouse for the conversation everyone’s been waiting for. Together, they talk about what diabetes distress really does - not just to the person living with type 1 diabetes, but to the person who loves them, supports them, and sometimes carries the weight right alongside them.
This is the real, unfiltered, funny, heartfelt look at love, marriage, and the mental load of life with T1D.
What You’ll Learn
• Partner perspective – What it’s really like to love someone with type 1 diabetes
• Emotional honesty – The tension between helping and not nagging
• Marriage under pressure – How distress, burnout, and fear show up in daily life
• How they healed – What changed when Neil began working on diabetes instead of reacting to it
Big Takeaways
1. Diabetes affects both of you.
The distress isn’t one-sided. When T1D moves into a marriage, both people feel it - one physically, one emotionally.
2. Communication changes everything.
Gina shares how they learned to talk with each other instead of around diabetes, especially when burnout hit.
3. Small wins build real trust.
As Neil began simplifying his diabetes management, the emotional load for both of them got lighter. Simple daily habits turned fear into confidence.
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress or explore tools that strengthen your support system?
Take the T1-DDS-7 (quick) or 30-question version at yourbestt1dyear.com.
Resources
Helpful resources, free guides, and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and coordinated care that fits real life - from mental health support to prescription help.
Now available in 16 states across the U.S.
Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes
TikTok: @the.betes
Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon:
Type 1 Diabetes: One Day at a Time
Your diabetes distress score is a tool, not a judgment. Here's how to use it constructively. Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• Score interpretation - What low, moderate, and high distress scores actually mean
• Tools vs judgments - How to use your score as information, not self-criticism
• Self-comparison - Why comparing only to yourself matters
• Actionable insights - How to identify which questions hit you hardest
Key Takeaways
Your score isn't a grade. Distress scores are flashlights to show where pressure points are, not hammers to beat yourself up with.
Compare to yourself only. Your distress journey is unique - focus on your own patterns and progress.
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
When it comes to diabetes distress, not all surveys are created equal. In this episode, we break down the two main ways researchers measure distress in type 1 diabetes: the T1-DDS7 (7 questions) and the T1-DDS (28 questions). Both tools were created to capture the emotional side of living with diabetes, but they go about it differently.
We’ll talk about what each version asks, why shorter isn’t always simpler, and how both can start important conversations about burnout, anxiety, and the weight of T1D management. If you’ve ever wondered how distress is measured — or what your score really means — this episode is for you.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Resources
Helpful freebies and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
The actual 7 questions researchers use to measure diabetes distress, explained in plain English. Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• The 7 core questions - Each diabetes distress assessment question explained simply
• Scoring system - How the 1-6 scale works and what scores mean
• Cut points - Low (below 2.0), moderate (2.0-2.9), and high (3.0+) distress levels
• Assessment versions - Quick 7-question vs detailed 28-question options
The 7 Key Questions
Feeling overwhelmed by diabetes demands | Feeling like you're failing with your routine | Feeling diabetes takes too much energy | Not meeting your own expectations | Feeling burned out by constant effort | Feeling diabetes controls your life | Feeling angry, scared, or depressed about T1D
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
Episode 100 milestone! Neil breaks down the crucial difference between diabetes distress and clinical depression. Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• Milestone celebration - Episode 100 of building T1D habits together
• Clear distinction - How diabetes distress differs from clinical depression
• ADA recommendations - Why screening both conditions separately matters
• Different support needs - Why distress and depression require different approaches
Key Takeaways
Distress ≠ depression. While they can overlap, diabetes distress and clinical depression require different types of support and intervention.
Both matter. The ADA recommends screening for both conditions because each deserves attention and care.
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
Diabetes distress affects 40% of adults with type 1 diabetes, but what exactly is it and where did the research come from? Neil explores the research, shares practical insights, and provides tools for managing the mental load of T1D.
What You'll Learn
• The definition of diabetes distress - It's not just 'having a bad day' with blood sugars
• Research history - From the PAID scale (1990s) to the T1-DDS today
• Key statistics - Why 40% of T1Ds experience moderate to high distress
• Assessment tools - Introduction to the T1-DDS-7 and 28-question versions
• Important distinction - How diabetes distress differs from clinical depression
Key Takeaways
Diabetes distress is real and measurable. Researchers didn't study this for fun - they created tools because the mental load of T1D management is significant.
You're not alone in this. If you've felt overwhelmed by the 24/7 demands of diabetes management, you're experiencing what nearly half of people with type 1 feel.
Take Action
Ready to assess your own diabetes distress? Both the T1-DDS-7 (quick) and 28-question (detailed) assessments are available at Neil's website.
Resources
Helpful resources and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
Episode summary
Today’s episode is a practical deep-dive with Diabetes Sangha co-founders Brooke Cassoff and Heather Nielsen on using mindfulness and self-compassion as real tools for life with Type 1. We talk origin story, why “everything belongs,” what a weekly practice actually looks like, and then do three short, on-mic practices you can follow anywhere: breath, grounding, and a micro self-compassion reset. We close with how to try Sangha for free and what’s next.
What you’ll learn
Timestamps
00:00 – Cold Open, why mindfulness for T1D now.
01:32 – Origin story, Stanford compassion capstone, early Zoom practices.
05:37 – What Sangha offers today: live sessions, YouTube library, retreats.
18:14 – Using CGM checks and meal math as mindfulness anchors.
23:26 – “Everything belongs”… creating a space where people feel seen.
26:00 – Inside a typical session: 30–45 min, guided practice, debrief.
27:37 – Quick resets on hard days, CGM alarms, and 60-second moves.
01:00:20 – Guided breath reset, closing cues you can reuse anytime.
01:03:52 – Body scan and grounding practice, re-entering the day.
01:10:53 – Micro self-compassion practice: hand-on-heart, name what’s here.
01:13:18 – How to start for free: “Just join us,” Daily Dose texts.
01:16:33 – Retreats and in-person weekends coming up.
About our guests
Diabetes Sangha is a volunteer-run community led by and for people living with or affected by Type 1 diabetes. Co-founders Brooke Cassoff and Heather Nielsen facilitate live practices, build a library of guided meditations, and host retreats that help us meet real-life T1D moments with skill and kindness.
Resources & mentions
Try this today (listener challenge)
Pick one practice from the episode and do it once: 60 seconds of breath, quick body grounding, or a hand-on-heart self-compassion cue. Then check off today’s square on the Reset Bingo card.
Reset Bingo card and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
Summary
No time is still time. Micro-resets in 30–60 seconds can downshift your nervous system and make insulin work better. Keywords: micro resets, vagus nerve, sympathetic drive, one minute reset, T1D stress.
What you’ll learn
Try this today
Pick one micro reset and do it once. “Resets in seconds matter.”
Resources
Reset Bingo card and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
Summary
Bring less stress to bed, get smoother nights. Short evening routines can lower cortisol, improve sleep quality, and give your basal a fighting chance. Keywords: sleep, overnight glucose, bedtime stress, evening routine, CGM.
What you’ll learn
Try this today
Five minutes before lights out… no phone, one stretch, one breath pattern, one line of gratitude.
Resources
Reset Bingo card and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
Summary
Exercise helps in the long run, but stress hormones can spike you in the short term. We cover warm-ups, patience, timing, and tiny experiments that turn chaos into clarity. Keywords: exercise and T1D, workout spikes, cortisol, HIIT, pre-bolus, five minute reset.
What you’ll learn
Try this today
Ease in for five minutes, then wait 15–20 minutes post-workout before any correction.
Resources
Reset Bingo card and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories
Summary
Alarms don’t ask permission. Label the moment, move a little, ask two quick questions, and stop the spiral before it compounds. Keywords: CGM alarms, stress response, mindful interruption, five minute reset.
What you’ll learn
Try this today
When the alarm blares, label it, move, then ask “What’s really happening” and “What’s my next smallest step.”
Resources
Reset Bingo card and newsletter: yourbestt1dyear.com
Sponsor
Blue Circle Health offers free coaching and care that fits real life. Sign up free: bluecirclehealth.org
Connect
Instagram: @thebetes | TikTok: @the.betes | Website: yourbestt1dyear.com
Books on Amazon: Type 1 Diabetes - One Day at a Time or Type 1 Diabetes - True Stories