Diabetes and Depression May Be Linked

Diabetes is hard to live with. You have to adjust your life around your condition. You need to eat right and keep track of your blood sugar. The ongoing issues make some people depressed.

New studies find that simply having diabetes may increase the risk of depression. As you feel worse, you don’t manage your diabetes as well as you did before. Your health suffers. This makes you more depressed.

If you have diabetes, get screened for depression. If necessary, you will be referred to a mental health specialist for help. During your visit, be sure to mention that you have diabetes. Some medications make diabetes worse by raising the level of sugar in your blood. There are other medication choices.

Depression colors your life and makes it hard to cope. Some signs of depression are:

• Feeling sad for a prolonged period of time.
• Feeling hopeless or helpless.
• Having trouble remembering things.
• Taking no interest in activities you used to enjoy.
• Not sleeping well or sleeping too much.
• Having thoughts of suicide

If any of these apply to you, tell your doctor right away. Your life—and your diabetes—can change for the better