Living with diabetes can be a challenge. Not only is it tough to manage blood sugar levels, but it can also be tough to manage emotions.
The big picture with type 2 diabetes is your health, life and happiness. And when these things get disturbed worry can set in, or worse, saddened mood or depression.
This can become a problem when you start to lose interest in things and it starts to affect the way you do things on a daily basis.
Depression is a medical condition where you may feel like you’re stuck in a rut or tough spot. It has nothing to do with a person’s mental makeup or all of the other things that people may think.
Diabetes and depression are quite common. Research shows that one can cause the other. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the complications and burdens of type 2 diabetes make a person at an increased risk for depression.
The best thing to do is get medical attention to help you get back on track.
Factors that contribute to depression:
- Family history
- Stress
- Life crisis
- Job loss
- Loss of a loved one
- Uncertainty about medical condition
Many of the experts link depression to changes to the brain, which may affect how you feel and/or your mood.
But one of the most important things that must be taken into account when it comes to depression with diabetes, is that you must still take care of yourself.
Some of the biggest dangers are:
- Not measuring your blood sugar levels
- Emotional eating
- Not exercising enough
- Not taking your medicine
- Kidney, eye, and heart problems are more common in depression with diabetes
- Not taking care of yourself
The Diabetes Depression Checklist
Seek medical attention if you or someone you know with type 2 diabetes:
- Is depressed or sad for two weeks or longer
- Has no interest in doing the things they once liked to do
- Speaks about death or suicide
- Doesn’t make decisions they used to make for themselves
- Someone is very inactive for a prolonged period of time
- Has changes in weight
- Acts bothered for a prolonged period of time
- Worrying about something more than what seems normal
- Has a severe loss of energy, or insomnia
- Smokes more than they usually do
Action Steps
If you or someone you love is struggling with depression and diabetes, the best thing you can do is seek immediate medical attention. Consult your physician.