Diabetes and Depression

[Shan86]

I struggle with depression and when my depression gets bad my diabetes gets out of control. I am finding it harder and harder to continue giving myself my insulin even though I know I need to.
Any advice for dealing with both? I have been a diabetic for almost 7 years and I know how to control my diabetes but its just so hard to do. I also find it very lonely being a diabetic.

 

[MrDaibetes]

Hey & welcome to the forum.

Depression is common in people living with diabetes and you're not alone in feeling this way. Have you spoken to your diabetes team to see if they can offer you some help in combating depression? There is lots of stuff out there to help, just try and reach out.

I also found peer support has helped me with my depression.

Stay safe and keep us updated.

 

[Totalwar]

I also have struggled with depression because of diabetes and on antidepressants talk to your GP.ask about talking therapy or antidepressants.my sugar levels also get out of control due to my mental health as much as 30 sugar level and know how hard it is to keep my sugar levels low so your not alone and there is help out there if you want just have to ask.

 

[ColinUK]

My depression started before diabetes came along to join the party.
It makes things difficult but I share everything with but medical team so that means my diabetes nurse knows about my mental health and I find it simplifies things.
Whether it impacts the actual care given or not I can’t really say but it does make things easier knowing that I’m open with anyone involved in my care.

 

[Maca44]

My depression/anxiety also has been with me for a very long time before T2 diagnosis and unfortunately the only way, for me, to control it is via medication but it's been a long road to find the right med and dose but now has been stable for a couple of years and has literally been a life saver. I would say if you can use other ways to get help and work through it then try these before going down the meds route but you also need a understanding GP not just one who puts you straight on meds without thought and support, I found one in the end but it took some time alot of GP's don't have a clue.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I struggle with depression and when my depression gets bad my diabetes gets out of control. I am finding it harder and harder to continue giving myself my insulin even though I know I need to.
Any advice for dealing with both? I have been a diabetic for almost 7 years and I know how to control my diabetes but its just so hard to do. I also find it very lonely being a diabetic.

Hello and welcome to the forum 🙂
Firstly have you spoken to your GP or do you have access to an endocrinologist who can help you sort out your diabetes? If you have no access to a hospital based DSN or specialist then please insist that this happens.

Having diabetes which is misbehaving and leaving you with high numbers will make you feel very black/depressed. 🙂
What actual problems are you having with your control/management?
Quite often when things get tough we can not see the wood for the trees, so if you can tell us a bit more hopefully someone will come along with fresh eyes and make a suggestion to help you out.

Wishing well.

 

[Shan86]

I should have added I am already on meds and in therapy but I still struggle and my mental health team knows I struggle.

When I am depressed I just wont take my mealtime insulin or check my sugars. Though now I have a dexcom so testing isnt a big deal.

When I was first diagnosed I was obsessive about my sugars and had such good control but then I think I got tired of being diabetic and gave up worrying. It feels like for me there is no middle ground I either obsessively watch my sugars and take my insulin or I just dont care.

Its nice to hear I am not alone!

 

[Maca44]

I should have added I am already on meds and in therapy but I still struggle and my mental health team knows I struggle.

When I am depressed I just wont take my mealtime insulin or check my sugars. Though now I have a dexcom so testing isnt a big deal.

When I was first diagnosed I was obsessive about my sugars and had such good control but then I think I got tired of being diabetic and gave up worrying. It feels like for me there is no middle ground I either obsessively watch my sugars and take my insulin or I just dont care.

Its nice to hear I am not alone!

It's interesting what you say I can relate to being obsessive about getting my BG under control, that feeds my anxiety's at the moment but I am also finding interest in things again like baking, gardening and generally want to get up and do something it's not all about T2 now so I have found a middle ground kind of so feel well. Before meds I would only be one or the other and mostly feeling c**p in my mind where I would do nothing but dwell on bad things.

I hope you can find your middle ground but it's draining isn't it.

 

[Grannylorraine]

I should have added I am already on meds and in therapy but I still struggle and my mental health team knows I struggle.

When I am depressed I just wont take my mealtime insulin or check my sugars. Though now I have a dexcom so testing isnt a big deal.

When I was first diagnosed I was obsessive about my sugars and had such good control but then I think I got tired of being diabetic and gave up worrying. It feels like for me there is no middle ground I either obsessively watch my sugars and take my insulin or I just dont care.

Its nice to hear I am not alone!

another person here that was already on meds for depression, I am the same when i am in the grip of a depressive episode, my diabetes control goes right out the window, I don't check my sugar levels, forget to take my meds, eat what I want (I am type 2 so diet is important) I do find doing yoga has helped me a lot. I am also the same about no middle ground, I either have very good control or no control. My last HbA1c was 64 because I had been in the grip of depression following 2 bereavements at the end of last year within 7 weeks of each other and dealing with some awful stuff with my husband of 35 years that nearly ripped us apart, I ate what I wanted including huge amounts of chocolate, ice-cream, high carb meals, but I explained to my DN that my mental health was so bad at that point that if I hadn't have eaten all that comfort food, I might not still be here.

So you are certainly not alone, always happy to discuss and support another person with depression/mental health problems so if you feel like messaging me anytime to talk please do.

Take care my love.

 

[Hardy]

Our local IAPT Service (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) (Talking Therapy) now has treatment specifically tailored to people with long term conditions and mental health issues. Its well recognised that lots of people with long term conditions experience depression and anxiety. I would think that every IAPT Service do this.
May be worth looking into and seeing if you might be interested in getting support?

Take care of yourself.

 

[Shan86]

Thanks for all the advice. I am sorry others are struggling with mental health issues as well but hearing it helps to not feel so alone.
Diabetes is so hard!

 

[Maca44]

Thanks for all the advice. I am sorry others are struggling with mental health issues as well but hearing it helps to not feel so alone.
Diabetes is so hard!

No your not alone @Shan86 just take one day at a time even one minute at a time we are stronger than we think.

 

[bruno22rf]

I'm going to apologise in advance for what I am about to say but I will post it simply in the hope that it may help. Diabetes is not hard to control and there are a million and one far more deadly conditions out there that will ruin your life in an instant. If you think life is hard now, think what it will be like when your Kidneys start to fail, when you lose your sight, the feelings in your fingers and toes or even lose your digits all together or your legs. You can live a long and normal life just by taking 15 minutes out of your day.

 

[ColinUK]

I should have added I am already on meds and in therapy but I still struggle and my mental health team knows I struggle.

When I am depressed I just wont take my mealtime insulin or check my sugars. Though now I have a dexcom so testing isnt a big deal.

When I was first diagnosed I was obsessive about my sugars and had such good control but then I think I got tired of being diabetic and gave up worrying. It feels like for me there is no middle ground I either obsessively watch my sugars and take my insulin or I just dont care.

Its nice to hear I am not alone!

When I’m at my most depressed or anxious then I don’t check blood levels or really care about what I eat either so I totally get where you’re coming from.

 

[Shan86]

I'm going to apologise in advance for what I am about to say but I will post it simply in the hope that it may help. Diabetes is not hard to control and there are a million and one far more deadly conditions out there that will ruin your life in an instant. If you think life is hard now, think what it will be like when your Kidneys start to fail, when you lose your sight, the feelings in your fingers and toes or even lose your digits all together or your legs. You can live a long and normal life just by taking 15 minutes out of your day.

I am guessing you have never dealt with severe depression or anxiety. Depression can make everything hard. When you are fighting your mind to just stay alive everyday it can be hard to find those 15 minutes.
I am glad you find it so easy because counting carbs, calculating insulin doses is not easy all the time for everyone.

I think your comment just adds to the stigma of mental health disorders and why people hide them and there struggles.

 

[helli]

I'm going to apologise in advance for what I am about to say but I will post it simply in the hope that it may help. Diabetes is not hard to control and there are a million and one far more deadly conditions out there that will ruin your life in an instant. If you think life is hard now, think what it will be like when your Kidneys start to fail, when you lose your sight, the feelings in your fingers and toes or even lose your digits all together or your legs. You can live a long and normal life just by taking 15 minutes out of your day.

I don't know what type of diabetes you have but, after more than 15 years with Type 1, I can confirm that diabetes is hard to manage. It takes far more than 15 minutes of my day. I wish I only had to consider it for 15 minutes and not every time I eat, when I get up, every time I do exercise, whenever I feel unwell, whenever I am stressed, when I drive, when I go to bed, when I have a vaccination, ...

As for kidney disease, loss of sight, loss of feelings in my fingers and toes - these are all possible complication of diabetes if I didn't spend all this effort every day for the rest of my life so often on my mind adding to the effort of managing my condition.

Whilst I have quoted some of your words in my reply, I have intentionally written "manage diabetes" - it is not a condition than can be controlled and any attempt to do so will lead to failure, guilt, added anxiety and depression. Depression which others have already pointed out is higher amongst people with diabetes than in the general population.

Whilst you may find it easy, that is not the case for the majority of people who really care about their lives and their condition. Please be sensitive to others with diabetes.

I am incredibly lucky to be living a full (not just "normal") life. I do not let diabetes stop that. But it is hard.

 

[Maca44]

I'm going to apologise in advance for what I am about to say but I will post it simply in the hope that it may help. Diabetes is not hard to control and there are a million and one far more deadly conditions out there that will ruin your life in an instant. If you think life is hard now, think what it will be like when your Kidneys start to fail, when you lose your sight, the feelings in your fingers and toes or even lose your digits all together or your legs. You can live a long and normal life just by taking 15 minutes out of your day.

Although I understand what you say but when depression hit's you hard you do not much care for life much anyway so worrying about going blind or having a leg off is the last thing on your mind. You might as well just say "Pull yourself together" to the OP, if you don't understand anything about mental health then probably it's be to keep blinkered comments to yourself.

Your comments have me fuming although I respect your right to share your views.

@bruno22rf I think you have shown where your coming from, the past, thank god most peoples attitudes have moved on.

 

[Cherrelle DUK]

Hi Shan86, welcome to the forum.

Thank you so much for sharing so openly and honestly. I'm sure many have already benefitted from reading your post and the replies.

I'm really sorry to hear about what you're going through. As you can see, you're not alone at alone at all as many struggle with depression and diabetes.

Diabetes is difficult to manage at the best of times let alone when you have co-existing issues. I think that most challenging aspect is that we often use food to cope when we're feeling down and therefore diabetes can put years of coping mechanisms into a spin without support with how to manage without it.

People say that your health is your wealth but mental health often gets missed out from that equation. I'd make mental health a priority as other things often fall into place as a result.

One thing that's really helped me is boundaries, with myself and others. Being aware of the things that act as a trigger and feeling unapologetic about protecting my peace and literally letting people know I won't be doing X, having this argument, taking on this load atm as I have enough on my plate.

I find it helps to make peace a priority and try and do one nice thing for yourself each day even if it means saying no to to others.

It's way easier said than done but go easy on yourself as you're doing the best you can. Take each day as it comes and keep reaching out sharing your feelings and concerns with others.

We're right here beside you along this journey so please let us know if we can do anything to help.

 

[Cherrelle DUK]

Hi Guys,

With my work hat on I do just want to point out that everyone has different experiences with how they manage diabetes so what may feel easy for some isn't the same for others for a variety of reasons.

It's important that we're compassionate with other people who have been brave enough to share their journey with us so I do ask that we be mindful of our choice in words and respectful towards other people and their experiences.

 

[Hardy]

"there are a million and one far more deadly conditions out there"
Yes and depression is one of them
I think if you start a post with "I'm going to apologise in advance", maybe you should think twice about posting.

You could say what your experience is and that you don't find it difficult to manage but unfortunately your post just comes across as very judgemental and with no understanding of the debilitating impact depression can have.