Untreated mental health conditions can worsen diabetes, and complications from diabetes can worsen mental health conditions. Fortunately, if one recovers, the other usually improves.
That is why Dr. Vijaya Lakshmi, a diabetes specialist at Malej Hospital in Mumbai, India, explains the relationship between diabetes and depression, according to the specialized medical website “onlymyhealth”.
Depression and diabetes
Depression is a medical condition that causes sadness and a loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy. It may interfere with your ability to manage your diabetes.
And your risk of diabetes complications such as heart disease and nerve damage increases when you can’t manage your blood sugar levels effectively.
For its part, the World Health Organization considers depression as one of the main factors contributing to poor health and exacerbating disability. It has also been linked to an increased risk of diabetes complications and increased use of medical services among people with diabetes.
Stress, anxiety and diabetes
Traffic delays, family responsibilities and daily diabetes care are all sources of stress.
You can feel stress as an emotion, like fear or anger as a physical reaction, like sweating or an increased heart rate or both. And people under stress don’t take care of themselves. Stress hormones affect blood sugar levels, causing blood sugar to fluctuate unpredictably.
Long-term stress can lead to other health problems or exacerbate existing ones.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anxiety is 20 percent more common among people with diabetes than among people without it.
For some people, managing chronic diseases such as diabetes is a major cause for concern.
Managing diabetes and mental health conditions
Emotional and psychological support must be included in the management of diabetes. Talking to a therapist or counselor can be of great help. Medications are prescribed to increase the release of chemicals in the brain and thus improve mood. There are different types of medications available for mental health conditions. Your doctor will prescribe what works best for you.
Noteworthy, these medications do not interfere with the action of your diabetes medications. Note that
Talking to your friends and family can be really helpful sometimes. These discussions can be difficult, but putting together some tips to help with diabetes and mental health is helpful.
Physical activity
Exercise is very important for controlling diabetes. It has many positive benefits such as controlling weight, lowering blood sugar levels, helping the body to use insulin more effectively, and helping to change mood for the better.
Because of psychosocial problems, many people struggle to regulate their blood sugar levels.
For that, managing symptoms of mental disorders can go a long way in helping you control diabetes.
2023-07-11 14:23:21
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