Mental Health
Research shows that there is a strong relationship between diabetes and depression. In fact, some studies have shown that having diabetes can double the likelihood of developing depression.
Living with diabetes impacts on your health, quality of life and freedom, and these factors can affect your psychological state. Many people experience difficulty adjusting to having diabetes and may grieve for the loss of their future good health. The grieving process may involve all or some of the stages of grief: denial, anger, distress, adjustment and acceptance.
Depression is an illness and can be treated. Speak to your doctor or educator if you are feeling down or overwhelmed. Other feelings can be stress, feeling down or that the future is bleak. It may be that you no longer enjoy things that you used to or have become isolated from friends and family. Many people try to ignore these symptoms or consider them a normal part of ageing or having a chronic disease. Help is available and you can feel better, particularly with the support of family, friends, carers and health professionals.
The treatment for diabetes and depression involves a coordinated approach and finding the treatment that works best for you. Your doctor can refer you for counselling with a psychologist if needed using the new Medicare item numbers.
Therefore, if you are feeling down because of your diabetes, or you have depression and have just been diagnosed with diabetes speak to your doctor or diabetes educator for more information and support. You don’t have to deal with this on your own.
To find out more about depression: