Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Denise A. Pancyrz – Diabetes Reversal & Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Speaker, Author
People with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes. Unfortunately, only 25% to 50% of diabetes patients who have depression get diagnosed and treated.
Getting a diabetes diagnosis can be like a roller coaster ride. Consistent glucose levels can be difficult to achieve especially when prescribed insulin. Depression and anxiety may be likely.
When glucose levels are high or too low, you may feel tired or anxious causing you to feel hungry and overeat. Depression can make you feel like a mouse in a wheel, never being able to get ahead and improve.
What are symptoms of diabetes depression?
• Inability to concentrate
• No longer finding pleasure in activities or hobbies you enjoy
• Insomnia or sleeping too much, not wanting to get out of bed or off the couch
• Feeling isolated or alone
• Feeling sad
• Feeling anxious or irritable
• Feeling lethargic
• Feeling hopeless or guilty
• Thoughts of harming yourself or suicidal thoughts
How can I address this?
Realize you are not alone. Depression is not a weakness and it is not something you can just snap out of. It also does not mean you have to remain in a depressed state.
Contact your physician to discuss your symptoms. They can help determine your best course of action. There is no shame or blame. Talking with other people with diabetes can help create a bridge to feeling better.
Reduce your frustration from your loved ones telling you what to eat and not eat. Take note that people love you and want to be part of your solution even if the message is not to your liking. Tell your loved ones what you need so they may give you the support you prefer, not what they believe you need. It requires an honest conversation.
Gaining education can help put the disease in perspective. You may be unknowingly sabotaging your efforts. Therefore, glucose improvement seems to elude you.
Jumping from different diabetes supplements without improvement can add to your depression and frustration. This is a strategy that rarely works.
Depression caused by diabetes is real. But what if it is not depression causing your symptoms? Symptoms of depression are a parallel to side effects from the disease of diabetes.
• Inability to concentrate – high glucose levels and medication can attribute to brain fog, that inability to think clearly. Long-term high glucose levels can lead to cognitive issues.
• No longer finding pleasure in activities or hobbies you enjoy – when you have lost hope of improving, this disease can take the fun out of life. Getting derailed in your quest to improve, can temporarily make fun activities feel like it’s too much of a chore.
• Insomnia – caused by erratic glucose levels is a known side effect. Contributing factors can be from diabetic neuropathy, sleep apnea, frequent trips to the bathroom from high glucose levels.
• Feeling isolated or alone – when you feel you are trying your best, but others don’t understand what you need and when you need it. Having difficulty communicating your needs can add to your feeling of being alone in managing this disease.
• Feeling anxious or irritable – when glucose levels are erratic, it can affect your mood and mental health. Struggling with eating foods that help you versus food you love can make anyone cranky! The constant worry of your health can induce or add to your anxiety.
• Feeling lethargic –glucose levels that are too low or too high can be a cause of low energy. Are you aware diabetes is an energy problem?
• Feeling hopeless or guilty – hopelessness and guilt create stress. Stress impacts your glucose levels. Sometimes you can be your own worst enemy and intensify your feelings of guilt unnecessarily.
Does it surprise you that the underlying cause of these symptoms is due to uncontrolled glucose levels? Good healthy living practices can help improve your glucose distress. Get started in three steps.
The first step is to make a commitment to your health. It cannot be for anyone else except you.
Second, keep an open mind. Stop putting up that imaginary wall that shields you from information overload. Make one change at a time.
Third, changing your health is not a race. It’s best to keep a steady pace moving forward.
Don’t struggle needlessly.
Book a free consultation at
www.ReverseMyDiabetes.net
Call (888) 848-1763
Email Denise@ReverseMyDiabetes.net.
