Does anyone ever get depressed about their diabetes…or has anyone got depression that they believe has been caused by their having diabetes?
When I have a bad run of BSLs I get really down and despairing.
Hi Mark! I don’t think this should be a sensitive subject. Everyone -diabetes or not - feels down, “bummed out”, sad, angry or depressed at times. My high numbers actually make me angry sometimes. Especially when I know I’m doing everything I should be doing. (and NOT doing the “bad” things…candy bars, carbs,etc) It’s so much of a mental struggle. Life is really a big mental struggle. If you can focus on the good in any given situation, then you’re bound to have a brighter outlook. Sounds kinda cliche, but look for that silver lining and move on. Don’t dwell on the negative. Make the next minute a better one… then make the next hour better than the last one. Make tomorrow better than today. It’ll start adding up to more positives than negatives. You control your mood, not the other way around! I’m a glass-half-full gal! Good luck and stay here at TuD and be a positive, forward thinker! That’s my 2-cents worth.
hi, Mark, this is not a sensitive topic here at TuD, in fact, we talk openly about depression all the time! It’s a well known fact that diabetes makes us prone to depression. Personally, I think you’d be crazy NOT to be depressed to have this disease. My 42nd anniversary of diabetes is happening in a few days, and I usually feel depressed thinking about what a traumatic experience I had with my diagnosis, and the challenges that diabetes brings continually. I am so comforted coming here at TuD, because I know there are many, many people who understand completely what I have to go through every day.
We also have a group here specifically for Diabetics with Depression - you may want to check it out.
of course we get depressed, and with the high and low blood sugar you wonder if your bipolar as well. My mood will change up and down, but i just keep going on or distract myself with something else. Sometimes worrying, getting angry, being sad can wait till later and then guess what by then you’ll forget to feel that way later in the day. Or just give yourself a pity party for a brief period and distract yourself with stuff you have to do or heck even the television. Distraction is always good with diabetes, because really you want all the annoying or hard stuff to be over with and you can do that AFTER you do what you have to do. I guess the one thing i’ve figured out with diabetes is that it’s never perfect and always changing, tomorrow is a new day and there is always something to smile about if you think hard enough.
Thank you for your response. I appreciate you taking the time. Info such as yours helps me feel less alone…with diabetes. I dont have any friends with type one diabetes to share this stuff with.
Thank you for your reply.
Thanks for your comments. a very useful perspective. I will try and draw on your advice.
I think people with diabetes is vulnerable to depression. Depression in itself is a problem for many…diabetic or not. But it has a more negative impact to diabetics when one loses control of diabetes self management, blood sugar and possible complications. There could be so many causes of depression, from physiological, to emotional, to environmental. Sometimes, diabetics develop depression because of certain lifestyle adjustment, denial, or even from the stress of managing it and certain restrictions we have to take. Unfortunately, there are no laboratory test for depression. So one can be treated based from his symptoms.
Mark, I highly suggest counseling, or psychotherapy, meeting and talking with a support groups can also help. Unless prescribed by a professional, an antidepressant may also help. Personally, I discourage it for it has so many side effects. Increase daily exercise can also help. There is also a new therapy called “phototherapy” or light therapy, that I recommend. Light (that may be placed in different strategic places of your home) simulates “sun light” can create a feeling of bliss.
I hope these helps a bit. I wish you well =)
Here’s how I think about it: when you’re tasked with taking over for a relatively major organ, sometimes it can seem like everything’s harder. I’ve had type 1 for almost 19 years, and have struggled with depression for 14 of those. I think it’s the combination of the extra work and responsibility, combined with the weird changes your body goes through in a typical day.
For a while, I saw a therapist who specialized in the diabetes/depression connection. She recommended the book Sweet Invisible Body by Lisa Roney.
Also, I think sometimes you just have to let yourself be pissed off. It helps.
Thanks Jacquie. It seems we all may go through similar experiences. Thank you for sharing yours. Yes - maybe its OK to be pissed off sometimes. But I never give up and try and start each day afresh with plans to do my best. Wishing you well.
Why in the world would you think that having a chronic disease that you have to worry about every minute of every day for the rest of your life bother you?
You are after all only human. I think we all feel like this at times and I think it is perfectly normal.
You need to always remind yourself of how much you are a strong and good person, that although you may sometimes have a bad day, that you have accomplished wonderful things and that it will be ok.
Yes.
I find when your BGL is unstable or is hard to manage your mood is too! After a while diabetes becomes another chore and really drags which makes it hard to stay motivated and therefore you become slack and then your BGLs get worse again! I have depression and I believe havign diabetes does not help that!
Together we will get through it 
Thanks for your reply. It actually helps when we can hear others stories and discover that are experiences are not in isolation. I dont know anyone with Type one diabetes to talk to so have no one with which to compare notes. Yes - T1 is a chore - and it is difficult to staqy motivated but I have found this site very useful and it has often given me the support to not give up. STAY STRONG!