How to Deal with Depression Linked to Diabetes

Опубликовал Admin
12-04-2021, 12:10
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People diagnosed with diabetes often develop depression. Sometimes depression symptoms may be due to physical causes. Living with diabetes can also lead to excess stress and negative emotions that result in depression. Depression and diabetes can be difficult, but you can deal with these conditions and improve your mood. If you are dealing with depression linked to diabetes, visit your doctor or a mental health specialist, undergo treatment, follow your diabetes management plan, and make lifestyle changes.

Seeking Help

  1. Recognize the symptoms of depression. Depression can be really tough to deal with. People with diabetes have a higher chance of suffering from depression. Dealing with diabetes can be really hard, and the stress of that can lead to a greater risk of depression. If you have been feeling a bit down, see if you have any of the following symptoms that point a bigger problem:
    • Loss of interest and pleasure in activities
    • Changes in your sleeping patterns, including insomnia, waking often, or sleeping more
    • Weight gain or loss due to a change in appetite
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Fatigue and lethargy
    • Anxious, sad, or guilty feelings
    • Thoughts of suicide. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273 TALK (8255). You can also go to the Suicide Prevention Chat to talk to someone online.
  2. Make an appointment with your doctor. If you experience any of the symptoms of depression, you should go see your doctor. There may be a physical issue causing the symptoms. Failing to follow your diabetes management plan may lead to depression-like symptoms. Make sure to talk to your doctor about how you're feeling and what you are experiencing.
    • For example, low blood sugar may cause you to eat too much or disturb your sleep.
    • Thyroid problems can lead to depression symptoms. Some medication side effects may also cause these symptoms.
  3. Visit a mental health professional. If there is no physical reason for your depression, you should visit a mental health professional. Depression can make you feel alone and hopeless, but you can treat it and your diabetes and feel better. A mental health professional can help you find ways to treat your depression.
    • Your doctor may refer you to a mental health professional who works specifically with diabetes patients. You can also ask for your doctor for suggestions about mental health professionals in your area.

Treating Depression

  1. Reach out to friends and family. It is important to have people who you can talk to about what is going on in your life. Opening up to friends and family will give you a chance to express yourself and get help when you need it.
    • Try opening up to one friend or family member at first, and then open up to more people as you start to get more comfortable talking about what you have been dealing with.
    • Ask a friend or family member to help you find a counselor and get help for your depression.
  2. Undergo counseling. If you start seeing a mental health professional, you will undergo psychotherapy. This may include talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or other methods to face your depression and learn how to manage and treat it. These treatments help you learn how to cope with your depression and take control of your life again.
    • For example, talk therapy may help you talk through issues that are linked to your depression. CBT helps you replace negative thoughts with healthier ones.
    • You may need short term treatment or long term treatment. Don't feel frustrated if your depression needs long term treatment. As long as you are treating it, you are on the right track.
  3. Take medication. Depending on the severity of your depression, you may need to go on medication. If you are not seeing a psychiatrist, you will need to see one since they are medical doctors who can prescribe medication. Medication can provide extra help if therapy is not enough.
    • Talk to the doctor and psychiatrist about side effects of any prescription drugs. Ask how the medication will interfere with your diabetes, affect your blood sugar levels, and interfere with any medication you are taking.
    • Often, people take medication along with going to therapy.
  4. Join a support group. Another way you can help your depression is to join a support group. This can be very helpful if you feel alone or like there is no one you can talk to. You may want to try a depression support group or a diabetes support group. Either can provide support from others who understand what you are going through. Connecting with others and talking about what you are going through can be very helpful.
    • Ask your doctor or mental health professional about support groups in your area.
    • You may also want to look for support groups online.
    • You can also find out more info about diabetes support groups through the American Diabetes Association.
  5. Follow your diabetes management plan. Closely following your diabetes management plan can help you with your depression, too. Sometimes, poor diabetes management can lead to depression or make it worse. Though it may be tough, taking care of yourself is a good way to ensure both physical and mental health.
    • Management plans often focus on keeping blood sugar levels under control, improving fitness and increasing physical activity, and losing weight or managing weight. These things can help improve depression.

Managing Depression through Lifestyle Changes

  1. Eat a healthy diet. Eating nutritious foods is part of your diabetes management, but it can also help with your depression. Eating carbs in the form of fruits and vegetables instead of high glycemic index carbs may help alleviate depression symptoms. Fruits and vegetables also provide your body with needed nutrients, like magnesium, folates, and riboflavin, which can help with depression.\
    • High glycemic carbs include white pasta, white breads, white rice, potatoes, corn, and many cereals.
    • Eating healthy fats and lean sources of protein also may help with depression symptoms.
    • Talk to your doctor about dietary choices that will help with both your diabetes and depression management.
  2. Exercise more. Exercise can help reduce the symptoms of depression and boost your mood. Getting half an hour of physical activity five days a week can help with mild to moderate depression symptoms. Exercise also provides health benefits for your diabetes management. Regular physical activity can help lower your blood glucose levels. Try working out with friends or family instead of by yourself.
    • Try to get 30 to 45 minutes of physical activity five days each week. Alternately, you can try to get 60 minutes of exercise three times a week.
    • Engage in a variety of activities. Try walking, swimming, cycling, strength training, yoga, or other aerobic activities.
  3. Get enough quality sleep. Diabetes and depression can lead to problems sleeping. Getting proper sleep can help regulate your moods. Shoot for seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Try to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each day.
    • Lay off the caffeine close to bedtime. This can keep you up. Avoid other things near bedtime that can keep you up, like alcohol, exercise, housework, working, or even checking your email. Make sure to give yourself a period of time to wind down.
    • Take a warm shower before bed and turn off all the lights. This can help your body prepare for sleep.
  4. Get out of the house. People who have depression may not want to leave the house. This may increase when you have diabetes. Though you may feel bad and like you don't want to do anything, try to go out and do something. Staying home and being alone can worsen your depression symptoms. Make it a point to go out and meet up with friends or family at least once a week.
    • If your diabetes makes you feel uncomfortable going to dinner, find something else to do. Go to a movie, go shopping, or visit a museum. Remember, though you may feel self-conscious about your diabetes, your family and friends accept you for you and won't judge you.
    • Consider going to a social function in your area, like a meetup or a volunteer opportunity.
  5. Talk to your family and friends. A great source of support when you have diabetes and depression is your family and friends. Having diabetes may make you feel isolated or different, and depression can make this seem even worse. Make an effort to connect with your family and friends.
    • Spend time with them socializing. Invite them over for dinner where you cook a diabetes-friendly delicious meal, or go out and do a shared activity.
    • Talk to them when you feel overwhelmed. Try saying, “I am suffering from depression in addition to diabetes. I was wondering if I could talk to you about how I’m feeling. I think it’ll help.”
  6. Avoid relying on substances to deal. Many people who are depressed turn to certain substances to help them feel better. This is not a healthy way to manage. Many substances used to make someone feel better can lead to substance abuse, which is an additional serious condition.
    • People often turn to nicotine, coffee, alcohol, drugs, or tranquilizers to make them feel better.
    • If you feel the need to turn to these substances, consider talking to a mental health professional to help you cope in more effective ways.
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