................
Depression And
Diabetes
Diabetes
and Depression
Managing Your Mental Health Along With Type 1 or
Type 2 Diabetes
Article by:
· Kathleen Smith, PhD
Managing type 1 or type 2 diabetes, chronic autoimmune
diseases, can be highly challenging due to setbacks and many challenges
along the way.
The constant vigilance required to manage blood sugar,
navigate health care services, medication side effects, and other related
health conditions can lead to an increased risk of depression.
Left untreated, depression can result in poor
lifestyle choices that worsen physical health.
If
you have diabetes, or someone you love does, it’s important to be aware of the
risk of developing depression.
Researchers have found that the two conditions occur
twice as frequently as you would predict based on chance, meaning that diabetes
and depression affect each other in some ways.
The relationship between type 2 diabetes and depression is
bidirectional, meaning that each can put a person at risk for the other.
If a person has depression, they are at a higher risk of
leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating foods that are sugary or fatty, which
can lead to type 2 diabetes.
If they already have type 2 diabetes, the burnout that can
come with managing the disease, can lead to depression.
Meanwhile, people with type 1 diabetes - which is not
caused by diet or lifestyle factors, but rather a result of a pancreas that
cannot manufacture insulin - can also be incredibly challenging to manage,
which puts one at risk for developing depressive symptoms.
Once depressive symptoms develop, it can become
increasingly difficult to manage diabetes and can lead to physical
complications and decreased life expectancy.
If you’re not sure whether you might
be suffering from depression, you can look for these signs:
· Lack of interest in activities
· Depressed mood or irritability
· Changes in sleep patterns
· Changes in appetite
· Feelings of guilt or despair
· Lack of energy
· Trouble concentrating
· Suicidal thoughts
Risk Factors Associated with Diabetes and Depression
There are many environmental factors
which can affect the risk of developing both conditions. These can
include:
· Poverty
· Childhood adversity
· Poor social environments
· Lower physical activity
· Maternal stress prior to birth
It
is not known whether taking antidepressant medication puts a person at risk for
diabetes, but relationships have been observed between the two.
If you take antidepressants or are considering them, talk
to your doctor about the risks of weight changes and hyperglycemic and
hypoglycemic effects that can put you at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
Researchers also have found that people with type 2
diabetes who use insulin are at higher risk for developing depression compared
to people those take non-insulin medications or only adjust diet or lifestyle
habits.
This is because these people may experience additional
stress in managing the diabetes and accessing health care services.
If
you have diabetes, be sure to tell your doctor if you begin to notice that
you’re losing interest in things you once found pleasurable or you experience
feelings of hopelessness or a lower mood.
Talk to them if you have a history of depression in your
family or find the challenges of managing your diabetes to be tiring.
Treatment Options
Common interventions for depression
include cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps people correct harmful
thought patterns and behaviors which can increase depressive symptoms, as well
as interventions such as structured problem solving, motivational interviewing,
and interpersonal and psychodynamic approaches.
Medication may also help with lifting mood and managing
symptoms.
Treatment
options for diabetes in addition to standard medical care may include
behavioral self-management programs that help people increase healthy habits
and improve control over their blood sugar.
Both diabetes and depression may improve with focus
on lifestyle changes, such as improving diet and exercising regularly.
Many
patients may find that having treatment teams communicate and collaborate with
each other (i.e. nurse practitioner, diabetes educator, doctor, psychologist,
counselor etc.) may prove helpful in addressing the challenges unique to those
with both conditions.
If you’re not sure where to start, talk to your doctor
about your family’s medical and psychiatric as well as your own concerns.
Engage with diabetes educators about healthy habits that
lower risk of depression and don’t hesitate to ask for a referral to a
counselor or psychologist in your area.
If you have depression and are concerned about developing
diabetes, you may want to talk to your doctor about building a collaborative
team to address risk factors and how antidepressant medications could
potentially influence physical health such as weight or blood sugar levels.
With
the right tools and the right team, people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can
lead emotionally and physically healthy lives, as can those with depression.
Consider today who you can recruit to help you develop
healthy lifestyle habits for your mind and body.
Kathleen Smith, PhD
Dr. Kathleen Smith
is a licensed professional counselor, author, and freelance writer. A
graduate of George Washington University and Harvard University, she also works
as a mental health journalist. She’s written for popular websites like Salon, Slate, New
York Magazine, Lifehacker, Bustle, HelloGiggles, AfterPartyChat, and Thought Catalog. In her free time, Kathleen writes about anxiety,
relationships, popular culture, and mental health. Her book The
Fangirl Life was published by Penguin Random House in 2016. You
can subscribe to Kathleen’s weekly newsletter on managing anxiety
or follow her on twitter @fangirltherapy
Taking Showers Can Age 
What Is Activated Charcoal?
Hydrogen 
