I Have Diabetes- How Do I know If I Suffer From Depression?

When you have diabetes, life can seem like a bowl of rotten bananas! But, just because you live with diabetes, doesn't mean you have to live with depression! Depression is shown to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes because it's one of the most common and dangerous complications.

Diabetics are at far greater risk for acquiring depression than non-diabetics because diabetics have more stress than non-diabetics. Controlling diabetes requires a large number of physical and mental adaptations
You should contact your physician immediately if you have diabetes and have any of the signs of depression including:
• prolonged feelings of sadness
• anxious feelings without cause
• helpless or hopeless feeling
• inability to concentrate
• difficulty with memory
• excessive tiredness or fatigue
• decreased or increased appetite
• disinterest in things previously interested in
• inability to sleep or excessive sleeping
• thoughts of suicide
• preoccupation of death


Here are five things that can be done to overcome depression from diabetes

1)Depression is often associated with helplessness and hopelessness. What you need to do to overcome this is to continually be informed about diabetes.Reading about diabetes and its treatments is a step toward hope and of doing something about it. So an ongoing education should always be pursued, through books, magazines, websites, support groups and so on.

2)It's important to have a good doctor and diabetes care team. With their counsel, you can establish the right diet, medication, exercise and so on.

3)Before you can overcome depression from diabetes you need to systematize, categorize and prioritize your care. Goal-setting and time management skills can help you to bring everything together and make it work. When you know what to do and when to do it and are confident in your system, it brings a great lift and sense of relief

4)Develop the right attitude. The right attitude is not, or at least should not be, dependent on your feelings and emotions. On the other hand, the right attitude is more than simple "positive thinking". It begins with who you are as a human being, your core beliefs and life-expectations. You need to develop convictions about who you are and what you want from life based on your beliefs and expectations, not based on your feelings and emotions.


5)Join diabetes support groups. No person with diabetes should think or feel that they are all alone in their battle with their disease. Their family and friends certainly should be supportive and encouraging, but even in those cases where there is no support from family or friends, there are diabetes support groups available to help and befriend. Look for them through your doctor's office, the local hospital, library, college or school,on the internet.