In the
early stages of a disease, in most cases, the body will give subtle hints
signaling that something may be not quite right with it. One of the early signs
of diabetes is a constant feeling of being tired and listless. You may find
yourself easily becoming tired while doing tasks that formerly took you no
effort whatsoever.
But even though you visit your doctor because you fear something may be wrong, it can still come as a shock to be told by your doctor that you have diabetes. You may go through various stages of denial and anger, but eventually you will come to accept the truth that you really do have diabetes.
Diabetes has many physical symptoms but it has a possible emotional one as well. Most people upon learning that they have a serious illness will go through one or more initial bouts of depression. But with diabetes, there seems to be some additional psychological and physical connection to depression. And, over the years researchers have documented a strong linkage between diabetes and depression.
There have been many peer group studies that show a person diagnosed with diabetes increases his or her risk of depression by 100 percent. Even taking into account that the psychological stress of learning that someone has diabetes will account for a small amount of the depression, a 100 percent increase is a huge number.
To date, there have been no studies that identify exactly why there should be a link between diabetes and depression, but there are a couple of theories that may provide us with a clue.
One theory is simply that people with depression are more likely to develop diabetes. In other words, there is some common metabolic tendency in the bodies of people with depression that puts them at risk for diabetes and vice versa. But there may be a direct dietary causal reason as well. A depressed person, especially one not taking medication for his depression, is not taking care of himself normally. He has a tendency to eat more poorly, especially carbohydrate laden junk foods that have been shown to increase blood sugar levels. A depressed person will also typically exercise less. In combination, these two factors can lead to obesity which can lead to him being diagnosed as a type-2 diabetic.
A second theory is that diabetes itself is the spark. Studies have proven that diabetes causes the body's sugar levels to vary wildly. Researchers of depression also know that depression is directly related to the body having poor and erratic blood sugar control. Knowing this connection, it would come as no surprise that a high number of diabetes sufferers could also experience depression.
The important thing to remember, however, is that there are effective treatments available for both diabetes and depression. Many doctors notice that when treating depressed patients with psychotherapy and/or medication, that their blood glucose levels are improved also. Although, yet to be proven, it's probably true that successfully treating diabetic patients will simultaneously help with their depression.
Hopefully, realizing that depression is a possible side effect of diabetes will help diabetics to understand better why they are feeling the way they do and encourage them to seek out aid for their possible symptoms of depression as well.
But even though you visit your doctor because you fear something may be wrong, it can still come as a shock to be told by your doctor that you have diabetes. You may go through various stages of denial and anger, but eventually you will come to accept the truth that you really do have diabetes.
Diabetes has many physical symptoms but it has a possible emotional one as well. Most people upon learning that they have a serious illness will go through one or more initial bouts of depression. But with diabetes, there seems to be some additional psychological and physical connection to depression. And, over the years researchers have documented a strong linkage between diabetes and depression.
There have been many peer group studies that show a person diagnosed with diabetes increases his or her risk of depression by 100 percent. Even taking into account that the psychological stress of learning that someone has diabetes will account for a small amount of the depression, a 100 percent increase is a huge number.
To date, there have been no studies that identify exactly why there should be a link between diabetes and depression, but there are a couple of theories that may provide us with a clue.
One theory is simply that people with depression are more likely to develop diabetes. In other words, there is some common metabolic tendency in the bodies of people with depression that puts them at risk for diabetes and vice versa. But there may be a direct dietary causal reason as well. A depressed person, especially one not taking medication for his depression, is not taking care of himself normally. He has a tendency to eat more poorly, especially carbohydrate laden junk foods that have been shown to increase blood sugar levels. A depressed person will also typically exercise less. In combination, these two factors can lead to obesity which can lead to him being diagnosed as a type-2 diabetic.
A second theory is that diabetes itself is the spark. Studies have proven that diabetes causes the body's sugar levels to vary wildly. Researchers of depression also know that depression is directly related to the body having poor and erratic blood sugar control. Knowing this connection, it would come as no surprise that a high number of diabetes sufferers could also experience depression.
The important thing to remember, however, is that there are effective treatments available for both diabetes and depression. Many doctors notice that when treating depressed patients with psychotherapy and/or medication, that their blood glucose levels are improved also. Although, yet to be proven, it's probably true that successfully treating diabetic patients will simultaneously help with their depression.
Hopefully, realizing that depression is a possible side effect of diabetes will help diabetics to understand better why they are feeling the way they do and encourage them to seek out aid for their possible symptoms of depression as well.
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