DIABETES AND DEPRESSION

According to the International Diabetes Federation, ― the number of people around the world suffering from diabetes has skyrocketed in the last two decades, from 30 million to 230 million, claiming millions of lives and severely taxing the ability of health care systems to deal with the epidemic. Studies confirm that people with diabetes frequently experience emotional disorders and the following are facts on this relationship: -

• -          Persons with diabetes are reported to have almost three times the rate of anxiety and at least three to four times the rate of depression found in the general population.

• -          Estimates indicate that one in four persons with diabetes suffers from depressive symptoms.

• -          The odds of developing depression and the rate of depression are doubled for people who have diabetes.

• -          Depression increases the risk of mortality in people with diabetes by 30 percent.

• -          Based on global prevalence estimates of diabetes done in 2000, 43 million people with diabetes have symptoms of depression.

• -          The economic burden of diabetes alone is significant but when depression is present with diabetes, there is an additional increase in health care costs by 50 - 75 percent.

• -          People who have both diabetes and depression have more severe symptoms of both diseases, higher rates of work disability and use more medical services than those who have diabetes alone.

• -          Studies suggest that depression increases the risk of developing type- 2 diabetes by more than 20 percent in young adults.

• -          Depression can lead to poor lifestyle decisions such as unhealthy eating, less exercise, smoking, alcohol abuse, and weight gain. All these are risk factors for diabetes and make it more difficult to control sugar levels.

-          The interaction between diabetes and depression is not well understood. However, whether a cause or an effect, the combination of diabetes and depression can be deadly.

-          If you suffer from diabetes, ask your doctor for a depression screening. While we may not know if depression actually triggers diabetes, we do know that depression makes diabetes a lot worse.

Thus, multiple lines of evidence clearly support the integration of an effective stress reduction and emotional management intervention program as a fundamental component of any diabetes management regimen.

Spotting Depression

Spotting depression is the first step. Getting help is the second. If you have been feeling really sad, blue, or down in the dumps, check for these symptoms:

1. Loss of pleasure; you no longer take interest in doing things you used to enjoy. 
2. Change in sleep patterns; you have trouble falling asleep, you wake often during the night, or you want to sleep more than usual, including during the day. 
3.  Early to rise; you wake up earlier than usual and cannot to get back to sleep. 
4.  Change in appetite; you eat more or less than you used to, resulting in a quick weight gain or weight loss. 
5. Trouble concentrating; you can't watch a TV program or read an article because other thoughts or feelings get in the way. 
6.   Loss of energy; you feel tired all the time. 
7.   Nervousness; You always feel so anxious you can't sit still. 
8.   Guilt; You feel you "never do anything right" and worry that you are a burden to others. 
9.   Morning sadness; you feel worse in the morning than you do the rest of the day. 
10.   Suicidal thoughts; or thinking about ways to hurt yourself.

If you have three or more of these symptoms, or if you have just one or two but have been feeling bad for two weeks or more, it's time to get help.