Mental health and diabetes

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

Kurious Oranj

New Member
Hi,
As this is the first time I've posted, please excuse me if I'm posting in the wrong place but I hope someone could assist in some way.
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes around 4 years ago and, in hindsight, I have been plodding along with it ever since.
I have also suffered from depression for many years and, as my specialist has recently advised me, this is interfering with my diabetes. For example, I don't take my insulin as often as I should, I don't necessarily eat the right things at the right times etc.
So, I wondered if anyone out there had/has experience of a similar situation to this. I don't expect there to be a miracle cure but I am keen to hear from anyone who knows about such things.
Thanks very much in advance.
KO
 
Kurious Oranj said:
Hi,
As this is the first time I've posted, please excuse me if I'm posting in the wrong place but I hope someone could assist in some way.
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes around 4 years ago and, in hindsight, I have been plodding along with it ever since.
I have also suffered from depression for many years and, as my specialist has recently advised me, this is interfering with my diabetes. For example, I don't take my insulin as often as I should, I don't necessarily eat the right things at the right times etc.
So, I wondered if anyone out there had/has experience of a similar situation to this. I don't expect there to be a miracle cure but I am keen to hear from anyone who knows about such things.
Thanks very much in advance.
KO
Click to expand...
Hi KO, welcome to the forum 🙂 It can be difficult when you are suffering from depression to motivate yourself to stick with the careful, regular routine you need if you are going to control your diabetes well. What insulin regime are you on? The problem is that diabetes can exacerbate things if it is not well-controlled, as high or fluctuating blood sugar levels can have a significant impact on your mood, and it can be even harder to deal with your depression :(

Are there any particular times of day when you miss taking your insulin? It might be worth spending a little time planning the next day's meals at a time when you feel up to it, and preparing as much as you can in advance. This might stop you feeling overwhelmed by it all, taking it small steps at a time instead - much easier to gradually build a routine for yourself this way, and far better than trying to deal with things as they come.

What sorts of things do you like to eat, and what do you do to relax?
 
Hi Northerner,

Thanks very much for replying.

Even though it's been almost 4 years since I was diagnosed, I am still learning about how best to cope with diabetes and, as such, any comments / tips / advice is greatly appreciated.

To answer your questions, I take a Humalog Mix and am meant to take it twice a day. It sounds ridiculous to say that I struggle to keep up to it when you consider it's only 2 injections a day. But I'm afraid it's the truth.

My depression is better characterised as bi-polar disorder which can make it incredibly difficult, nay impossible, to plan ahead. Therefore, it's not just the insulin but the meal planning and everything else associated with it.

I'm sorry to sound so defeatist about everything. I know there's no solution to my situation and I don't expect to find one. The main reason I posted on here was the hope of communicating with people like you who could provide new thoughts and ideas etc, and, perhaps rather optimistically, to see if anyone is in a similar position.

So, I hope all that provides a little bit more background to this.

Thanks again for getting back to me - it is genuinely appreciated.

KO
 
Hi KO, believe me, you are not alone in your situation. It seems to me that you want to improve things regarding your diabetes - hence you being here - but you need more support in developing a coping strategy for when you are feeling particularly low and unable to act. How well are you being supported with your bi-polar?
 
Welcome to the forum Kurious Oranj.
What treatment do you use for your bipolar disorder? Do you take medication and / or have any talking therapy eg CBT Cognitive Behavioural Therapy? I ask because many people have reported on this forum that they find counselling and / or CBT helpful in managing some aspects of dealing with diabetes eg priotising what aspects of diabetes management are the most vital to continue even when your mood is low or high.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum Kurious Oranj. 🙂
 
Hi Kurious Oranhj and a warm welcome.
Ive had an on off relationship with depression since the age of 20, and just recently have decided to tackle it head on im now under my local mental health unit and so far have had 2 appointments having my third on Tuesday for now its nice and slow and happily the proffesionals ive met so far have been lovely if not sometimes abit nosey buy ive answerred all there questions so far lol. Your not alone and I can tell you from personal expereince theres alot of help out there xx
 
Welcome to the forum for a type 2 with depression. I don't have an issue with my medication, but I do have days when I struggle with eating the correct foods and would give my right foot for a bar of chocolate.
 
I was off work with stress a long time ago, around 2000 give or take a year or two, I don't remember having problems taking meds, though my memory is a bit hit and miss for those years. Help is around and I ended up seeing a councillor who was a great help in getting things resolved and back on track.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top