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Introduction to diabetes
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Depression and diabetes

• Prevalence of depression among the adults with diabetes and its consequences
• Symptoms of depression
• Management of depression in diabetes

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Prevalence of depression among the adults with diabetes and its consequences

Depression is not uncommon among the patients with diabetes. It is often under-diagnosed or undiagnosed. Several studies suggest that patients with diabetes are twice as likely to experience depression as those without diabetes. The risk of depression increases as diabetes complications worsen. On the other hand, people with depression may also be at greater risk for developing diabetes.

The exact cause of depression in patients with diabetes is unclear. Depression may be caused by the stress of daily diabetes management or the results of diabetic complications such as painful neuropathy, numbness, loss of vision, loss of sexual capacity, kidney damage requiring dialysis, etc, or may be due to the metabolic effects of diabetes on the brain.

Depression leads to poorer physical and mental functioning, so a diabetic individual is less likely to follow a required diet or medication plan. It may therefore lead to poor diabetic control.

Symptoms of depression

Feelin down once in a while is quite normal as most of us experience it from time to time. However if you have the following symptoms, you could be suffering from depression:

• Loss of pleasure or interest in normal activities
• Depressed mood for most of the day
• Difficulty falling asleep (insomnia)
• Early hour wakening
• Change in appetite leading to weight loss or weight gain
• Low energy level - feeling tired most of the time
• Trouble concentrating
• Feeling of guilt or worthlessness
• Suicidal thoughts

Management of depression in diabetes

Recent studies have suggested that effective treatment of depression can improve diabetic control. The better the improvement of depression, the better the diabetic control.

The management of depression commonly include prescription of anti-depressant medications or specific types of psycotherapy ("talk" therapy) or a combination. However, the patients must be managed by a mental health professionals, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist.