Diabetes is a challenging disease. Lifestyle changes, remembering medications, checking blood glucose, the fear of complications and an increase in other health risks makes managing diabetes a difficult task.
One complication associated with diabetes most people don’t often think about is depression. Yet depression can go hand-in-hand with diabetes. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop depression as those without diabetes. Researchers who observe the mental health of people with diabetes currently are considering whether it is the extra daily tasks of managing diabetes alone that increase the risk of depression or if diabetes brings on some chemical changes that raise the risk of depression.
So why is depression such a concern? Primarily because depression makes diabetes more difficult to deal with and vice versa. Here’s how: If you have diabetes and undiagnosed depression, you may not have enough energy to manage your diabetes. If you can’t manage your diabetes well, this may worsen your symptoms of depression and your blood glucose control.
Depression makes it hard to be motivated to control your diabetes and out-of-control diabetes makes it hard to be motivated. Both are exhausting and make it difficult to focus your attention. Both can interfere with sleeping, eating and concentrating. And not knowing you are depressed only complicates matters. You might get upset with yourself for not having the ability to change your behavior, when in fact, it may be the depression that is keeping you from having the energy and motivation to make changes. It is because of the high incidence of depression in people with diabetes that everyone with diabetes should be screened annually for depression. Answer the questions on the bottom of this article for a guide as to whether you might be depressed. If you have five or more of these symptoms more than half of the time, you may be depressed. You could be depressed even if you have none of the above symptoms. If you believe you are depressed, see a licensed mental health professional, such as a psychologist or social worker. Have the mental health professional do a formal assessment to determine if you are depressed.
When deciding on a mental health professional, look for one who is familiar with the interaction of diabetes and depression, as the treatment of depression with diabetes can be more complex. To get the process started, you can take these simple steps:
- Talk with your health care provider and/or diabetes educator.
- Call the American Diabetes Association at (800) DIABETES to see if they have a listing of mental health professionals in your area.
Treatments for depression have become more effective as depression becomes better understood. It also is clear that by treating depression and diabetes at the same time, the likelihood of improving both increases. The following questions might help you find out if you are depressed
OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, HAVE YOU:
- had sleeping problems, been sleeping too much or had disrupted sleep?
- experienced eating problems, been eating too much or had no appetite?
- been moody with excessive sadness or irritability?
- been excessively fatigued?
- had difficulty concentrating?
- not had fun with things that used to be fun?
- had feelings of depression?
- isolated yourself from others?
- lost interest in sex?
- thought of death or suicide?
