Having a chronic disease not only causes physical problems but also impairs your mental health. That said, diabetes, especially when it is out of control, can either trigger or precipitate depressive episodes.
Similarly, depressed patients have higher levels of inflammatory markers and poor insulin sensitivity. Both these conditions can progress to full-blown diabetes.
How Diabetes increases the Risk of Depression?
According to the Pathways Epidemiologic Study, more than one-fifth of the people with diabetes with severe kidney disease met the criteria for major depression. Moreover, diabetic complications such as stroke and heart attack can further boost the risk of depressive symptoms.
With every new diabetic symptom present in the patient, the risk of depression increases by nearly 13%.
How Depression increases the Risk of Diabetes?
Depression has numerous negative health impacts that collectively increase the risk of diabetes. For example,
- Decreased level of physical activity.
- Smoking habits.
- Higher levels of stress hormone “cortisol”.
- Lowered insulin sensitivity.
- Increased levels of inflammatory markers.
Besides, depressed patients are more likely to deviate from the essential self-care measures. These include proper and timely intake of medications, giving up smoking, and following the prescribed following dietary and exercise regimens instructions.
What You Can Do
The first step to take during such situation depends on whether you have diabetes, depression or both. In any case, it is critically important to take all your medications as prescribed by the doctor.
The next step is to ensure you follow all the dietary and exercise instructions. If you have depression only, take all your antidepressant medications and enroll in a behavioral therapy session.
If you have diabetes only, work on to keep the blood glucose levels in control by taking proper diet and losing a few pounds.
For the patients having both the conditions, it is necessary to check the symptoms periodically in order to know if they are deteriorating.
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[expand title=”References“]
- Depression and Anxiety. URL Link. Retrieved October 09, 2017.
- Psychosomatics. URL Link. Retrieved October 09, 2017.
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