Type 1 Diabetes And Depression - Increased Risk For Diabetes Complications

A diabetes diagnosis is a big change in your life, and some degree of stress usually accompanies this change. Some individuals may have a higher tolerance to stress, while others have less available resources for coping. Some factors associated with the handling of stress are innate personality, such as if you are laid-back or uptight, available support system, such as close family and friends, and the amount of stress that is already a part of your life. If many other large changes have occurred around the same time that you are diagnosed with diabetes, it may be harder to cope than if the diagnosis had come at a less dynamic point in your life.

Depression can strike anyone, but people with diabetes, a serious disorder that afflicts an estimated 16 million Americans, may be at greater risk. In addition, individuals with depression may be at greater risk for developing diabetes. Treatment for depression helps people manage symptoms of both diseases, thus improving the quality of their lives.

It is completely normal to experience some personal stress during the adjustment to a diabetic lifestyle, but some patients may experience more severe responses, such as depression. Depression is a diagnosis completely separate from diabetes, but depression is slightly more common in individuals who are under stress, such as those that have been recently diagnosed with diabetes. Just because you have diabetes, this DOES NOT mean that you will necessarily become depressed. However, it is smart to know that stress can put you at a higher risk of developing depression. If you know what to look for, you can treat depression early to reduce your suffering.

Common symptoms of depression include feelings of helplessness, sadness, negative or pessimistic outlook on life, frequent crying, insomnia or oversleeping, under or overeating, difficulty dealing with everyday problems, and loss of enjoyment of activities that used to be fun. If you experience any of these symptoms for two weeks or more, you should visit your doctor right away to discuss your symptoms.

If you are in fact diagnosed with depression, there are many effective treatments available. There is a wide variety of antidepressant medications that can be prescribed by your doctor. These medications help to balance out the chemicals in the brain that become uneven during depression. It may be necessary to try more than one antidepressant to find one that works well for you, but don’t give up! Many people who have not had success with the first antidepressant they attempted later do find one that is right for them.

Counseling is another approach that can be either a treatment alternative, or used in combination with antidepressant medications. Counselors can teach you stress management skills and new ways of thinking that will help to treat your depression and lower the chances of becoming depressed again in the future.

When people are depressed, it is very common for them to feel as if their particular case is untreatable, so they will not go ask for treatment. Depression, like diabetes, is a serious illness that requires medical care. If you begin to have symptoms of depression, call your doctor. You deserve to feel better!

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