Diabetes and Depression Got you feeling down?

Living with a crippling condition like diabetes can take an acute physical toll on the person’s body and cause depression. In recent years, there has been a drastic rise in diabetic patients with depression. Over 12% of the American population currently lives with this disease. Around 30% of diabetic patients are somewhat struggling with depression. In this article, we will learn how to deal with the depression that happens due to diabetes. If you wish to learn about our online diabetes doctors and our telehealth diabetes care center, contact us after you finish reading the article and remember to share with other people who may benefit from the information.

How to Successfully Cope with the Emotional Side of Diabetes. Depression

What many people don’t know is that diabetes is not just a physical disease. It can also emotionally wreck a person and severely upset the natural balance of hormones. As the disease begins to take root inside the body, it causes all kinds of mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. People can lose control of their health, which can make them feel incompetent, lonely, and abandoned.

Depression in Diabetes Mellitus

Both type 1 and Type 2 diabetes run the risk of triggering severe depression in diabetic patients. Clinical evidence suggests that diabetic patients have a greater tendency to develop depression during their early onset. Coping with a life-altering disease like diabetes can be very traumatic for both a person’s physical and mental health. There is a deep stigma attached to mental health illnesses that prevent people from reaching out and seeking help. In most cases, a diabetic person may not even be aware of their depressive symptoms. What they think is just a passing emotional phase may actually be an acute sign of long-lasting depression. Self-managing diabetes can be a huge challenge. The medications that regulate blood sugar levels can be incredibly harsh due to their side effects.

Having to ensure a continuous glucose monitor by one’s side, taking insulin at the prescribed time, and consuming a restricted diet can be especially hard if the sufferer isn’t habitual of that lifestyle. Diabetic symptoms can cause the person to feel lonely, isolated, and increasingly frustrated. They feel like they’re the only ones fighting a physical and mental battle.

Because of a lower level of ‘happy hormones’, the diabetic patient with depression tends to experience low energy levels. Due to this, they might not even indulge in proper self-care as prescribed by a diabetes doctor. When the body begins to adjust to the onset of diabetes, several fluctuations begin to take place.

This can leave the depressed patient with diabetes in a confused and hazy state, which makes them highly vulnerable to acute depression. Even a simple task like taking an insulin shot can be emotionally draining.

What Do the Statistics Have to Say about Depression and Diabetes

Depression is the biggest, most prevalent disease that our society is currently tackling. According to the World Health Organization, around 300 million people are affected by it, currently. These staggering numbers are only the tip of the iceberg. Many sufferers have either not reported their symptoms or haven’t been diagnosed as of yet.

Up till now, 16.2 million adults in the United States have already gone through a major depressive episode, with 10.3 US adults developing a critical impairment because of it. And, that’s not all, 50% of people who are diagnosed with depression also carry the risk of anxiety.

Seeking Mental Help for Depression and Diabetes

If you or someone you know is currently experiencing diabetes with depression and have diabetes, then the first step is to acquaint yourself with its symptoms. As aforementioned, depression can often go undiagnosed because of the profound stigma tied to it.

People are completely oblivious to the availability of online diabetes care. They are not even ready to acknowledge that diabetes can result in emotional turmoil. If you haven’t been able to step out of the bed for the past few days or are unable to think beyond your disease, then it’s time to seek mental care.

Alarming Symptoms of Depression in Diabetic Patients

Understanding the symptoms and reporting them to a counselor or therapist is extremely important. Here are the most alarming signs of depression that you must watch out for. Ideally, these signs should last for more than two weeks at a stretch to be positively diagnosed with depression.

Insomnia and Depression

Like depressed individuals, diabetic patients may experience mild to severe insomnia. They wake up earlier than usual and have difficulty going back to sleep. Alternatively, their sleep cycles can also worsen and lead to too much sleep. Anything that is out of the ordinary definitely qualifies as a depressive symptom.

2. Morning Blues with Diabetes

Experiencing angst or general sadness upon waking up is a common depressive sign in diabetic patients. They have trouble getting out of bed or checking their blood glucose levels. If you’re feeling sad, blue, or lonely for no particular reason for a prolonged period, then you might have depression.

3. Fluctuations in Appetite, Depression and Diabetes

Diabetic patients are supposed to consume a low-sugar, low fat, and high-fiber diet. This means a person that devoured desserts, fast food, and other delicacies will have to cut back dramatically. On top of this restricted lifestyle, changes inside the body can also cause sudden weight gain or weight loss. All of this can influence appetite and may even decrease it in the long-term.

4. Sudden Loss of Pleasure in Depression

You might not feel like indulging in your hobbies and interests as you used to. As mental health slows down and fatigue kicks in, the motivation to fulfill daily goals can drop.

5. Suicidal Thoughts, Diabetes and Depression

Experiencing suicidal thoughts is the last and final stage of depression with diabetes. Having no glimpse of hope and feeling worthless despite favorable things happening around you can quickly escalate to suicidal tendencies.

Thinking that you deserve to die or hurt yourself is the final sign that requires urgent mental assistance. It often starts with a guilt trip that can cause your mind to talk down on itself. “You will never be happy”, “You never do anything right”, or “You’re such a burden to everyone around you” are commonly occurring thoughts that should be addressed immediately.

What You Can Do About Diabetes and Depression

Diabetes is certainly not the end of the world. It may be a life-changing disease that can push a person into deep trauma, but with the right lifestyle and mindful choices, a person can quickly come out of it as well. Diabetes can be self-managed with a healthy lifestyle, mental help, and emotional support from loved ones. Depression does not have to be fate of every diabetic.

It’s time to take control of your life and health. Don’t let this disease get the better of your mental health. You are far more than diabetes and it doesn’t define your potential and ability to heal. Here are some ways through which you can successfully come out depression and manage your diabetes well.

Always Record Your Blood Glucose Readings

Your body will respond best when it sticks to a routine. If you are diabetic, you need to be more vigilant of what you’re eating. Therefore, always take your glucose readings in the morning, before, and after a meal to keep track. This will give you a greater sense of control over your body and get rid of hopelessness and depression feelings during diabetes management.

And, if you’re having a hard time tracking it, then seek telemedicine like SugarMDs to assist you with remote blood sugar monitoring. Try to make things easy for yourself and don’t be too hard.

Start Eating Healthy

The power of nature is indispensable. It’s time to ditch all those sugary, greasy foods that are slowing down your body’s metabolism. Make healthy food a habit. And, no, this doesn’t mean that you need to follow a military diet.

Eating healthy requires you to include fresh and wholesome foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds, and high-fiber meals in your diet. However, the key to eating healthy is starting small. Replace a full-fried egg with a boiled one, start having a green smoothie in the morning, or simply replace your usual white bread with a brown, multi-grain.

Keep the changes small and consistent, and you’ll be amazed at the results in a few months. When you start eating healthy, you will be in a better place to take control of your body and mind. Eating better can improve your mood and eliminate depression with diabetes.

Drink Lots of Water

Water is the secret to life. It hydrates and purifies our bodies. By drinking at least 7-8 glasses of water, you will allow your body to flush out all those nasty toxins and gunk from medications and saturated foods.

Try Intermittent Fasting

Many diabetic patients have reported positive changes in their blood sugar levels after fasting at intervals. By doing so, the body launches into a self-healing process where it eliminates toxins and recharges itself. It is especially helpful for Type-2 diabetes as it helps maintain a healthy weight and increase self-control.

Sweat It Out

Exercise can boost the happy hormones inside your body. Dedicate at least 30 minutes of your time to a bit of cardio and strength training. You will be amazed at how drastically it improves your mood and increases your motivation to manage your disease. It will also help you maintain a healthy weight and eliminate depression during diabetes.

Practice Mindfulness

Just like exercise, mindful practices like yoga and deep diaphragmatic breathing can do wonders to put your mind at peace. Every morning, step out in the sun or sit in a comfy spot and practice deep breathing. Train your mind to exhale out the bad energy and take in the fresh spirits of the morning sun. This is part of cognitive therapy for depression with diabetes.

Seek Diabetes Care

If you’re having a hard time, seek mental help from a professional to help you understand your disease, and how you can combat it successfully. Don’t shy away from accepting your depression. If you’re feeling low or sad without any reason, talk to a loved one.

It’s always better to seek professional help through telemedicine. If you can’t find someone to talk to, look for telehealth options like SugarMDs to provide specialist care and remote blood sugar monitoring. Take external support until you’re confident that you can check your readings yourself.

Break the Stigma Around Depression and Diabetes

Take your health in your hands and break the stigma around depression. Reach out to professional 24/7 coaching from SugarMDs. They provide you with all the answers for your diabetes and ways through which you can successfully manage it.

With coaches and virtual assistants on call 24/7, there will never be a time when you feel down or defeated. You have a blissful life waiting ahead of you, and it’s just a click away!

Author: Ahmet Ergin, MD, FACE, CDCES, ECNU
About the author: Dr. Ergin operates a large diabetes practice mostly in Jupiter, FL and yet can see diabetic patients across the entire state of Florida via a unique telehealth platform which also allows him and his team to track patient progress and be available at all times.