Diabetes is a disease that, unfortunately, is becoming more and more widespread in our world. It is estimated that nearly 422 million people worldwide suffer from it.. However, many people are still unaware of the full impact it has. One example is the relationship between diabetes and mental health.
Diabetes basically consists of our body cannot make or use insulin. Insulin is the ‘key’ that allows glucose to enter cells, as they need it as a nutrient for energy.
The problem is that glucose remains in the blood and, if its concentration remains high over time, it causes tissue damage. As, It is very important to maintain good control of its levels and to treat this pathology.
However, This disease not only affects the body but can also affect mental health. In this article we explain what their relationship is and what kind of problems can arise from diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
As we mentioned, Diabetes is a chronic disease where the body cannot make enough insulin or cannot use it to get glucose into cells. There are different types of diabetes, but the most important are type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 diabetes usually begins in childhood and is characterized by the fact that the pancreas cannot secrete insulin. Therefore, its treatment is usually by injecting this hormone to control glucose levels.
Type 2 is more common in adulthood and consists in the fact that insulin cannot be used. It is the one that affects the greatest number of people, as it is closely related to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Both types can occur at any age and in anyone, although it is true that there is an important genetic influence. The big problem with diabetes is the number of complications that appear over timeas it increases the risk of suffering from many other diseases.
How does diabetes affect mental health?
Diabetes strikes many social classes who suffers from itEspecially since it carries a great responsibility. Treatment requires control not only of medications, but also of eating habits and activities.
Here because, It is very common for this disease to cause very high levels of stress. Stress itself causes the release of cortisol, a hormone that also affects glucose metabolism. In the end, everything is closely related.
People with diabetes are forced to avoid certain behaviors or actions. For example, it is contraindicated to drink alcohol or eat whatever you want without properly controlling your food. This can increase anxiety and demotivation.
Furthermore, it is a pathology, in a certain sense, unpredictable. Sometimes, no matter how much effort is put into performing all checks, the expected results may not be obtained. Frustration levels rise dramatically when this occurs.
What mental illnesses are related to diabetes?
Unfortunately, diabetes is closely related to mental health. It is estimated that the risk suffer from depression is almost 3 times higher in a person with this disease. Similarly, generalized anxiety disorder is very present in these patients.
For all of this, It is very important to understand this pathology as an important conditional in lifenot just physically. It is recommended that people diagnosed with diabetes undergo some type of therapy to be able to cope with the situation.
It must be remembered that the body and mind influence each other all the time. Any mental problem can negatively affect the course of another disease, such as diabetes. For this reason, it’s important to pay attention to both areas.
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