Although what follows is based on our clinical experience of the assessment of persons with diabetes, but it also may be useful for a variety of chronic medical conditions. As an overall rule of thumb, I hope to see normal scores, in the midrange, which are between the two lines on the BHI profile. While those scores are sometimes indicative of a strength or something good, they can also be indicative of problems. Persons commonly react emotionally to the diagnosis of Diabetes. This response varies across persons.
Some persons become depressed, others fearful, or others become angry.
Some combination of these feelings is also possible. The average normal patient responds with some emotional distress, and this is generally healthy. In particular, a certain amount of sadness or grieving over the loss of health is normal and healthy, as is a certain amount of anxious concern over the possibility of not doing the right thing. Again, a little bit of anxiety is a source of healthy motivation. Some people react more strongly, becoming very depressed, occasionally even suicidal, paralyzed by anxiety, or become angry at God or life over the perceived injustice.