And you thought there was no cause for the depression you've been experiencing.
Just like love and marriage, peanut butter and jelly, and honey and Winnie the Pooh, diabetes and depression often stick together. Don't think that means you have to simply live with depression if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Rather, prepare to arm yourself with the knowledge needed to put depression in its place so you can put up the best possible fight against diabetes.
What It Looks Like
Everybody feels down now and then. Having an off day is expected - especially if you're living with diabetes, a condition that affects how you live every moment of every day of your life. But depression goes a bit further than an occasional bout of sadness. When you're depressed, you feel sad much of the time, and you also feel hopeless.
On top of these discouraging symptoms, depression often results in complete and utter exhaustion, making you want to do nothing but sleep the day away. Your ability to concentrate will also suffer, as will your ability to sleep well, and your desire to interact with others will plummet. Finally, at its worst stages, depression can cause you to begin thinking of hurting or even killing yourself. Seeking help well before you reach this stage will help you learn coping mechanisms no matter how bad life may seem.
How to Battle
Think you may be experiencing some diabetes-related depression? It will take a lot of will power, but you can beat it down. A good first step in dealing with depression that is brought on by diabetes is taking optimal care of your body. Since allowing your blood sugar to get too high or too low can trigger depressive episodes, carefully monitor your blood sugar levels at all times to ensure they won't wind up sending you in a downward spiral.
Once you get your blood sugar levels where they should be, you can't sit on your laurels in your bedroom all by yourself. You need to get out and get social. Find ways to socialize with your family and friends. They can help take your mind off all the bad aspects of living with diabetes and provide much-needed support as you strive to live a healthy life despite diabetes.
Another great place to go to win the battle against diabetes-induced depression is the gym. Spend at least 30 minutes three days a week working out, and watch your depressive symptoms fly away. Not only will you look better, but you'll have more energy, and your time in the gym will act as a way to work out all those awful thoughts that cause you to feel so bad about your diabetic state.
No matter how well you keep your diabetes and depression in check on your own, you can't do it all on your own. From the moment you learn you have diabetes or depression, you'll need to stay in contact with a healthcare professional with expertise in managing these conditions. The goal is to turn to your physician or other healthcare professional for new tips on maintaining good diabetic health. But if you begin to suffer diabetes-related depression or have other negative side effects of diabetes, contact your healthcare professional immediately. Your good health and good mood depend on it!
Other Way Around
The diabetes-depression path is not a one-way road. Just as diabetes often brings on depression, research has shown that individuals who suffer from depression are at increased risk from winding up with diabetes. Therefore, if you or someone you love deal with depression, seek professional help to prevent other health problems, such as diabetes, from setting in.
