What Is The Impact Of Diabetes On Mental Health?

Diabetes greatly increases the risk of depression and anxiety, among other problems.

Diabetes is a disease which, unfortunately, is more and more prevalent in our world. It is estimated that nearly 422 million people worldwide have it. However, many people are unaware of the impact of diabetes. One example is the relationship between diabetes and mental health.

Diabetes is basically the inability of our body to produce or use insulin. Insulin is the “key” that allows glucose to enter cells, which need it as a nutrient for their energy.

The problem is that glucose stays in the blood, and if its concentration remains high over time, it causes tissue damage. It is therefore very important to keep good control of your levels and the treatment of this pathology.

However, this disease not only affects the body, but can influence mental health as well. In this article, we tell you about their relationship and what types of problems can arise from diabetes.

What is diabetes ?

As we mentioned, diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body cannot make enough insulin or use it to get glucose into cells. There are different types of diabetes, but the most important are type 1 and type 2.

Type 1 diabetes usually begins in childhood and is characterized by the inability of the pancreas to secrete insulin. This is why it is usually treated by injecting this hormone to control glucose levels.

Type 2 is more common in adulthood and involves the inability to use insulin. It is the one that affects the greatest number of people, because it is closely linked to obesity and sedentary lifestyle.

These two types of diseases can occur at any age and in anyone, although it is true that there is an important genetic influence. The big problem with diabetes is the number of complications that appear over time because it increases the risk of suffering from many other diseases.

What is the impact of diabetes on mental health?

Diabetes affects many areas of a person’s life with it, mainly because it involves a great deal of responsibility. Treatment requires monitoring not only medications, but also eating habits and activities.

It is therefore very common for this disease to cause very high stress levels. Stress itself causes the release of cortisol, a hormone that also influences glucose metabolism. At the end of the day, everything is closely linked.

People with diabetes are forced to avoid certain behaviors or actions. For example, it is contraindicated to drink alcohol or eat whatever you want without proper dietary control. This can increase anxiety and demotivation.

In addition, this is a somewhat unpredictable situation. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to complete all the checks, you may not get the results you want. Frustration levels increase dramatically when this happens.

What are the mental pathologies linked to diabetes?

Unfortunately, the impact of diabetes on mental health is significant. It is estimated that the risk of suffering from depression is almost three times higher in a person with this disease. Likewise, generalized anxiety disorder is very present in these patients.

For all this, it is very important to understand this pathology as a great condition of life, and not only at the physical level. It is recommended that people diagnosed with diabetes seek some form of therapy in order to deal with the situation.

It is necessary to remember that the body and the mind are continually influencing each other. Any mental problem can negatively influence the course of another disease, such as diabetes. That is why it is important to pay attention to these two areas.