Recommendations for diabetic neuropathy support are commonly offered by hospitals and clinics. Within these resources, supportive services such as those offered by The Neuropathy Association, the American Diabetes Association and other organizations are among the best resources to find local and national support. Non-diabetic neuropathy support can also be accessed via many of these resources. Family, friends, local support groups, online support groups and books written on the subject are also worthy neuropathy support sources.
Possessing the signs and symptoms of neuropathy can be very troubling. Compounded by the fact that this condition could worsen and that it is irreversible, many encounter depression and anxiety on top of coping with the physical symptoms of nerve damage. Reaching out for neuropathy support, however, can help an individual cope with these feelings, as well as learn ways of living with neuropathy and perhaps even aid in the discovery of other neuropathy treatments.
One of the most often used sources of neuropathy support is support groups. Groups meet at regular intervals and exist for the sole purpose of offering support, encouragement, and an outlet where participants can share their thoughts and feelings on coping with their condition. Besides referrals offered by hospitals and clinics, patients may also locate a local neuropathy support group using resources offered by The Neuropathy Association, which maintains more than 100 support groups located in the United States, as well as in Canada and South Africa.
Internet forums and blogs also provide supportive elements. While these do not offer the same level of personal interaction that local support groups do, online resources are available at any time a person logs onto the Internet. Forum and blog visitors engage in exchanging neuropathy treatment experiences, challenges and different ways of coping with their condition online. Such can be of intense help to a person living with neuropathy who may feel alone in their struggles or in need of encouragement.
Books and articles written by others with neuropathy are also excellent sources of support. In these, doctors and neuropathy patients share effective ways of coping, as well as experiences with various neuropathy treatments. Authors are often diabetes sufferers, but many do not have diabetes and, therefore, offer non-diabetic neuropathy support.
While friends and family members who do not have neuropathy are unable to offer personal experience, loved ones are still a good source of neuropathy support. Living with neuropathy can be a highly unsettling experience, which often leads to intense feelings of sadness, depression and loss. Friends and family members may help by encouraging loved ones with this condition, as well as assisting patients in performing activities that may become inhibited due to this condition.
