Getting flashbacks of painful memories and fantasies of uncertain future are normal things for every human being; and just normal are the momentary reactions triggered by such thoughts. However, the problem arises when these thoughts arise not momentarily but frequently, or even continuously. It can cause something as bad as depression. Depression can literally sip the juice of life out of a person. Even worst, if the person is diabetic too, depression and diabetes together can cause the person to become a living dead. To find out how, read this over.

What is Depression?

Body seems nervous, brain seems restless and life seems hopeless. These feelings when prevalent continuously for two weeks or more are signs of depression. Depression is a mental condition in which the person feels low in mood and mostly aversion to daily activities.

How Depression is Linked to Diabetes?

Diabetes and depression are in cross-talk with each other. One leads to another. Though how one triggers the other is still a matter of ongoing research but numerous researches do show that there indeed is a link between the two.

Few researches also show that this can be due to interference in the chemical reactions occurring in the brain. One, when a person is depressed, it elevates the level of a chemical called cortisol in the brain. Excessive cortisol can lead to altered blood glucose levels and insulin resistance putting the person at a greater risk of diabetes.

Conversely, when a person has diabetes, the blood glucose levels of the body boost up with lesser or no insulin secretions to absorb that glucose. In this case too, the body has to cope with a lot of hormonal changes in the body. Plus, the body weight, it makes the body look either bony or butterball. In both pictures, the person can experience social guilt often and gradually fall into depression. People with Diabetes Type 2 are more prone to depression than those with Diabetes Type 1.

Usually, people are not as aware about depression as they are about diabetes. Diabetes is not curable permanently but If depression is healed, diabetes automatically comes under control; which seems perhaps the best way to escape this endless cycle of disease.

So, let’s delve deeply to understand what causes depression, how it is diagnosed and how it can be healed.

Symptoms of Depression

Researches show that every one out of four people suffer from depression. And you’d be surprised to know that as many as 80% cases go undiagnosed, let go of treatment. Yes, 80%. And so, recognizing depression is the first thing we need to do in order to heal it. Persons with some or all of the following symptoms spotted over prolonged time may be under the blue of depression and can seek for a good doctor.

• Behavioural Signs

1. Difficulty in concentrating and paying attention in simplest of tasks.
2. Lack of interest in day to day activities, even in one’s own hobbies and passions.
3. Decreasing social interactions and growing Introvertedness.
4. Excessive indulgence in alcohol, smoking or drugs.

• Physical Signs

1. Fatigue, tiredness, lethargy or lack of energy.
2. Huge changes in appetite leading in rapid weight gain or weight loss.
3. Muscle pains, cramps and multiple aches.
4. Sleep disturbances like insomnia and hypersomnia.

• Mental Signs

1. Emptiness in mood, morning sadness and becoming tearful when alone.
2. Feeling loneliness and thoughts of isolation all the time.
3. Feelings of guilt, inferiority complex, worthlessness and pessimism.
4. Developing too much attachment with closed ones.
5. Frustrations and suicidal thoughts.

Causes of Depression

Signs of depression are mainly spotted to take form in adulthood. However, nowadays, a significant percentage of children and adolescents have also been diagnosed with the mental unease.

Though it is caused by combining a lot of genetic, physiological, psychological and environmental factors, mostly the factors following have been identified as major causes of depression.

1. Depression history in family.
2. Hypertension
3. Obesity or heart problems
4. Laziness and prolonged inactivity
5. Stress caused by insulin management in diabetes
6. Major life incidents, trauma or tragedies.

Treatment

People who are diabetic and under depression tend to forget the stress by use of addictives like smoking, alcohol or drugs. This behaviour is common. However, this only takes them out of the frying pan into the fire. So, instead of covering up and trying to forget the disease, one can go for a proper treatment. The treatment of depression usually involves a combination of medication and psychotherapy.

• Medication

Certain medicines called antidepressants are used to lower the symptoms of depression. Most common of these are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) and Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI) medications. Since every medicine has its own side effect, if these effects appear too severe, consult your doctor immediately.

• Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy or talk therapy in this case involves a psychiatrist or a psychologist talking to the patient to recognize possible disorders in neural connections and thus, healing them.

The Takeaway

If you are diabetic and feeling symptoms of depression too, don’t panic at all. Depression is absolutely curable. Just do some good exercise, take healthy diet and feel happy, most important. And always remember, depression can’t control you, you can control depression.