Diabetes And Depression: The Risk
Diabetes increases the risk of depression. A metaanalysis of 16 studies that examined the risk of depression in those with diabetes showed that both relative risk and hazard ratio were significant at 1.27 and 1.23 .13 In the Health, Ageing, and Body Composition Study, older people with diabetes showed an increased incidence of depression compared to those without diabetes .14
Conversely, depression increases the risk of diabetes by 65%. In a prospective study of 4,803 adults aged 55 years or older, the incidence rate of diabetes was higher among depressed subjects relative to nondepressed subjects . An increased risk of diabetes mellitus was also associated with characteristics such as non-severe and untreated depression.15 The relationship between diabetes and depression appears to be bidirectional. Diabetes and its complications lead to increased prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression leads to an increased risk of diabetes .
Does Diabetes Cause Depression
The demands of managing a chronic condition like diabetes can be stressful. The stress of daily diabetes care can build up and make you feel helpless. Indeed, some studies suggest that people with diabetes have twice the risk of developing depression than people without diabetes. And if they have visual problems or any diabetes complications, their risk of depression can increase further.
Another contributing factor is how well diabetes is controlled. For example, if your blood glucose is too high or too low, you can experience symptoms similar to depression such as feeling anxious, tired and drained of energy.
In addition, nerve damage and blocked blood vessels in the brain as a result of diabetes complication may affect brain chemistry and contribute to the development of depression.
Dopamine And The Glucose Effect
Glucose, or blood sugar, is the simplest of the carbohydrates. It is also essential for human survival. Glucose acts as the primary source of energy for every cell in the body, and the brain depends on it. An even supply of glucose keeps the brain functioning in a balanced way.
However, consuming too much added sugar may lead to increased irritability and peaks and drops in energy levels. Although the initial intake of sugar may feel positive, it will cause blood glucose levels to drop. It is this that affects the mind and body so dramatically.
For some people, however, sugar can be incredibly addictive. When a person consumes sugar, the mesolimbic dopamine system in the brain offers a reward, thereby increasing mood. The dopamine system starts working when feelings of pleasure approach.
Because these are added sugars, however, they are not beneficial to the body in any way. A high intake of these will mean chemical changes in the body. These occur to prevent overstimulation, so the body may crave more sugar on future occasions to achieve the same high mood.
Also Check: What To Do When Your Husband Is Depressed
Can Diabetes Cause Depression
The day-to-day challenge of coping with a chronic condition like diabetes can be overwhelming. If you find it’s consistently getting you down, you may be depressed. Clinical depression is common in diabetes after all, it can be a struggle to manage a chronic condition like diabetes and depression affects various aspects of your life, making it harder to manage your care well. For example, depression can dampen your appetite and missed meals can wreak havoc on your glucose levels. When you are depressed, it’s difficult to be interested in doing things, which can also keep you from staying active. Getting exercise will help build your appetite, improve your mental outlook, and give you more energy. If you can, force yourself to go for a walk and see if that improves your symptoms. Also, talk to your doctor about your feelings and strategies for relief.Continue reading > >
Prediabetes Depression And Anxiety Symptoms: Anxiety Boosts The Progression Of Type 2 Diabetes
Recent studies suggest a connection between the progression of type 2 diabetes, anxiety and depression. Read more if you are curious about the recent findings!
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is a significant public health problem as it is increasing quickly. Prediabetes is a well-known risk factor for type 2 diabetes, which is also becoming more common. Prediabetes is defined by blood glucose levels that are above normal but below the cutoff for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Although not all people with prediabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes, there have been reports of rates as high as 70% of people going from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes.
It could have a significant impact on lowering the incidence of type 2 diabetes to identify predictors of the transition from prediabetes to the disease. Making healthy lifestyle modifications can boost a prediabetic person’s chance of returning to normal glucose levels. People with depression and anxious symptoms frequently engage in lifestyle behaviors including smoking, poor eating habits, and physical inactivity, which may raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes as prediabetes progresses. Type-2 diabetes and depressive and anxiety symptoms have a long history of association.
Recommended Reading: Center For Anxiety And Depression Seattle
The Vicious Cycle Of Diabetes & Depression
Many patients with diabetes find it challenging to cope up with the day-to-day requirements. They feel overwhelmed and often get demotivated when asked to follow a strict diabetes routine.
Failure to reach their HbA1c goals and the fear of developing diabetes-related complications increases stress, thereby leading to depression.
On the other hand, depression interferes with the ability to think clearly. It causes indecisiveness and the inability to perform tasks like taking the medications and meals on time, exercising etc.
Depression causes a rise in a stress hormone cortisol, which interferes with glucose metabolism, increases insulin resistance and causes accumulation of belly fat.
Additionally, a depressed person will make poor lifestyle decisions, like unhealthy eating that includes consuming processed food, reduced exercise, smoking, binge drinking all of these factors increase the risk for diabetes.
Research has shown that diabetes and depression are linked together, but a clear connection of which causes which is not fully understood.
Managing Both Diabetes And Depression
Therefore, taking care of diabetes is not just about controlling blood glucose but also about keeping your mind healthy.
Look out for signs of depression and seek help early:
- Spot depression. If you have diabetes and have been feeling down, check for symptoms of depression. If you experience five or more of these symptoms every day for two weeks or longer, or you think you might be depressed, it is time to get help.
- Seek help. Tell your doctor how you feel so that he/she can rule out medical causes of depression such as thyroid problems and side effects from some medications. Blood glucose levels that are too high or too low can also mimic symptoms of depression. If you are diagnosed with depression, your doctor will advise you on a suitable treatment plan that may include medications, lifestyle changes and/or counselling. Depression is treatable. With proper management, you will find it easier to cope with diabetes and be healthier and happier.
Stay positive to beat both the blues and diabetes!
You May Like: Is Ritalin Used For Depression
What Are Symptoms Of Depression
Too much stress sometimes can lead to depression. People with diabetes are more likely to be depressed than the average person. You may be at risk for depression if you have any of the following symptoms for more than a week:
- Feeling sad or irritable
- Having lost interest in activities you enjoy
- Feeling worthless
What Exactly Is Depression
Depression is the term given when an individual experiences a number of symptoms including:
- Persistent sadness or anxiety, a feeling of hollowness
- An overriding feeling of hopelessness and negativity
- Feeling helpless and powerless to change your situation
- Loss of interest in activities or pleasures
- Lower energy and increased fatigue
- Insomnia, oversleeping, awakening early in the morning
- Concentration problems, memory problems and indecisiveness
- Dwelling on death or suicide
- Weight change and decreased or increased appetite
A diagnosis of depression is made if many of these symptoms are present, continuously, for a minimum of two weeks.
For people with diabetes, dealing with a lifelong condition and managing the risk of complications can seem like an overwhelming task, particularly for newly diagnosed patients.
Many diabetics struggle to cope with the requirements, feeling overwhelmed and unmotivated.
If diabetes is not faced with an attitude of perseverance and defiance, often depression will prevail.
Depression is the perception of life situations as undesirable. Often, when individuals are faced with adverse events or conditions, they spend huge amounts of effort trying to escape or deny such circumstances.
Avoiding unpleasantness and expending energy trying to minimize discomfort can cause symptoms of depression.
Read Also: I Think I Have High Functioning Depression
Significance Of This Study
What is already known about this subject?
-
Clinical studies indicate that comorbid depression among persons with diabetes mellitus may adversely be associated with the course of the disease.
-
It is unclear whether this association is mediated by lower diabetes-related self-care and medical care utilization, especially in population-based studies.
What are the new findings?
-
Current depressive symptoms were associated with events of acute hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia in the past 12 months and diabetes-specific long-term complications, independent of potential confounders and based on a nationwide population-based survey.
-
Largely no associations were found with respect to self-care or medical care indicators, except for a higher chance of currently having a diet plan in persons with depressive symptoms.
-
A link between depressive symptoms and diabetes-related short-term or long-term outcomes via adverse care processes could not be supported.
How might these results change the focus of research or clinical practice?
What Is Diabetic Exhaustion
Some individuals experience diabetic anguish when they are overpowered by the relentlessness of diabetes. This may result in diabetic fatigue. The manner in which you respond to events and the feelings you experience might vary from person to person. You may experience frustration, guilt, sadness, or anxiety.
You May Like: Major Depressive Disorder And Depression
Depression Can Sneak Up On Anybody
Sometimes, theres a sadness or an emotional flatness that just wont go away. Sometimes, you just feel hopelessand have no idea what comes next. However it shows up, depression can be hard to detect and can wreak havoc with your self care. Spotting depression is importantand its important to check for these symptoms:
- Loss of interest or pleasure
- Change in sleep patterns
- Waking up earlier than normal
- Change in appetite
Brain Structure And Function
In addition to the psychosocial models described above, there are a number of shared biological changes that occur in diabetes and depression that may increase the risk of the other condition . These mechanisms provide a novel perspective in considering the association between depression and diabetes by focusing more on common pathogenic mechanisms rather than focusing on the direction of association.
It is well recognized that both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia can have major effects on brain function in areas of cognition and mood. MRI scanning of the brains of people with type 1 diabetes has shown that prefrontal glutamate-glutamine-gamma-aminobutyric acid levels are higher than in healthy control subjects, and these levels correlate with mild depressive symptoms . Furthermore, animal models have shown that diabetes negatively affects hippocampal integrity and neurogenesis, which may interact with other aspects of neuroplasticity and contribute to mood symptoms in diabetes . In humans, hippocampal neurogenesis can be indirectly assessed via MRI and there is hippocampal atrophy in diabetes .
Also Check: Different Types Of Insulin Pumps
You May Like: How Many People Have Clinical Depression
The Links Between Diabetes And Depression
Depression and diabetes share some symptoms. Being tired and sleeping a lot, and having difficulty concentrating can happen when you have either condition. This can make it difficult to know whether your symptoms are being caused by depression or your diabetes, or both.
People with diabetes are twice as likely to have depression
You may be wondering if diabetes can cause depression, or make you feel depressed. Though the condition does not directly cause depression, the nature of diabetes can be a factor in developing it. Its a very tough condition to deal with as its always present, and that can be exhausting.
If you have depression before you have diabetes, it can make your depression worse.
Can Diabetes Cause Anxiety And Depression
4.7/5diabetescansymptomsdepressionanxietycandepressioncausingsymptoms
People with diabetes are at increased risk of developing anxiety because they may experience excessive fear and worry about the management and possible progression of diabetes. Concerns over the physical symptoms themselves can also trigger anxiety.
Additionally, does diabetes affect depression? Diabetes can cause complications and health problems that may worsen symptoms of depression. Depression can lead to poor lifestyle decisions, such as unhealthy eating, less exercise, smoking and weight gain all of which are risk factors for diabetes.
can diabetes affect your mental health?
Anxiety, depression, and diabetes distressHaving diabetes can also lead to a mental health condition that doctors call diabetes distress. While symptoms may not be severe enough for a doctor to diagnose diabetes distress as a mental illness, the symptoms can affect a persons quality of life.
Can diabetes be brought on by stress?
Stress doesnt cause diabetes but it can affect your blood sugar levels and how you look after your condition. Having diabetes to manage on top of lifes normal ups and downs can itself be a cause of stress.
Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:
- Feeling nervous, restless or tense.
- Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom.
- Having an increased heart rate.
- Breathing rapidly
Also Check: Healthy Protein Shakes For Diabetics
Read Also: How To Support A Friend With Depression
Impacts Of Depression And Diabetes
Depression coupled with diabetes can cause more hospital visits and an increased risk for complications due to a lack of motivation in managing diabetes. Since depression can negatively impact how often a child keeps up with their blood glucose levels and dosing for carbs, we generally see an increase in blood sugar readings, A1C and possibly ketones which can lead to increase in hospital stays and lower quality of life.
Depression in a pediatric patient with Type 1 diabetes makes it harder to manage their diabetes. said Sheila Otten, LCSW, social worker with Norton Childrens Endocrinology, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. This creates additional stress for the patient as well as the parent. Parents often express frustration in supporting their children in managing diabetes and do not always understand what the barrier is. That is why it is imperative to reach out to a skilled mental health profession who understands the nuances of diabetes management.
The Sleep Apnea And Diabetes Connection You Need To Know About
As scientists learn more about the factors that affect our health, they have also learned that many conditions are often found together and can even exacerbate one another. Medical research, for instance, has revealed a Sleep Apnea and diabetes connection that can severely impact your health.
Having one often indicates a higher likelihood of having the other. And, each condition can make the other worse in a number of ways. If you have type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea, it is important for your doctor to explore your risk factors for the other malady to better protect your long-term health.
You May Like: Depression Makes Me Sleep All Day
What Should I Refrain From Doing While Taking Metformin
Other substances to avoid when using metformin include corticosteroids like prednisone. anticonvulsants such as topiramate and zonisamide oral contraceptives.
All I know is after taking this product for 6 months my A1C dropped from 6.8 to 5.7 without a struggle. By that I mean I watched my diet but also had a few ooops days with an occasional cheat and shocked my Dr with my A1C test. Since then I have also had finger checks that average out to 117-120. Im still careful but also thankful my numbers are so good!
Diabetes And Mental Health
Is mental health pretty low on your list of priorities for managing diabetes? This may change your mind.Mental health affects so many aspects of daily lifehow you think and feel, handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. You can see how having a mental health problem could make it harder to stick to your diabetes care plan.
Read Also: What Is A Good Medicine For Anxiety And Depression
Why Does Diabetes Cause Depression
Why are diabetics prone to depression? Diabetes-related changes in brain chemistry may be associated with the development of depression. Damage caused by diabetic neuropathy or clogged blood arteries in the brain, for instance, may lead to the development of depression in diabetics.
What effect does diabetes have on depression? Regina Castro, M.D. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, your chance of getting depression is enhanced. And depression may increase the likelihood of acquiring type 2 diabetes. Diabetes and depression may be managed jointly, which is excellent news.
What effect does diabetes have on mental health? Rapid mood swings and other mental symptoms, such as exhaustion, difficulties thinking clearly, and worry, may be caused by fluctuations in blood sugar. Diabetic may result in a syndrome known as diabetes distress, which has characteristics with stress, sadness, and anxiety.
Depression To Diabetes Risk
During the whole study period 2,844 females developed type 2 diabetes and 7,415 were identified with depression.
Those with depression had a 17% higher risk of developing diabetes even after the researchers ruled out certain risk factors, such as BMI and physical activity.
The women on antidepressant medications had a 25% higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those without depression.
The investigators also found that those with diabetes had a 29% higher risk of developing depression compared to women without diabetes. This figure prevailed even after taking into account certain risk factors.
Those taking insulin for their condition had a 53% higher risk compared to the non-diabetic women.
The authors wrote:
- The findings from this well-characterized cohort of more than 55,000 U.S. women with 10 years follow-up add to the growing evidence that depression and diabetes are closely related to each other, and this reciprocal association also depends on the severity or treatment of each condition. All the associations were independent of sociodemographic, diet and lifestyle factors.
The researchers say their findings indicate that depression has an impact on diabetes risk beyond inactivity and body weight.
They also believe that their study showed a relationship between stress and diabetes.
The authors noted:
They concluded:
You May Like: How To Know If You Are Diagnosed With Depression