• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2026 Survey »

Diabetes and short term depression

tomshawcroft

Newbie
Messages
1
A few months back I started working for the NHS on a training program as a step towards becoming a male nurse, my aspiration since I was admitted to hospital in 2010 with ketosis and a new found diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. Since beginning my new career, I’ve had four 12.5 hour shifts per week on a ward...which began my diabetic blip; I was consistently overtired, my family, friends and partner had to deal with my never ending mood swings, I had a persistent common cold and an insatiable reliance on caffeine.

So, I took a visit to my doctor and walked out the surgery with a sick note writing me off work for a week due to my poor physical health. After three consecutive days of being off work, I decided enough was enough and I handed in my immediate notice.

What followed was an overwhelming feeling of self disappointment. I’d let go of an aspiration I held for nearly a decade, and each day I worried about what I was going to do for a living instead. My mental health soon deteriorated and as soon as I became aware of this onset of depression, seemingly overnight, I found myself ignoring the chronic health condition I have lived with for a very long time now, skipping readings and injections (which is very VERY out of character for me).

I spent a few days in bed doing nothing, a few days walking circles around my flat crying and a few days staring at my diabetes injection pens and wishing for the diabetes to float away.

The following week of my tantrum, I again decided enough was enough (this time, with the help of my partner) and applied for a new job with set hours, changed from the hospital I was diagnosed at to one that is a 10 minute drive and started to test my blood a healthy amount of times again. I was offered the job, offered a pump, offered a CGM and my mental health is back on track like nothing happened.

TLDR: Had a long term diabetes blip, had a diabetic meltdown, experienced a bout of 7-day depression, left my job, started a new job, accepted diabetes again and now things are better than ever.

This is my first post but I wanted to share this. Has anyone else experienced anything similar?
 

I have recently experienced an event which was the end result of a few years of completely uncontrolled type 1. I am now aware of the way it can control my mental stability. Thanks for your post
 
Not quite the same but after my first child was born I went through a period of post natal depression (PND). During that time I developed some terrible diabetic habits, eating ridiculous amounts of carbs to try and make myself feel better, than becoming depressed about the ensuing blood sugar results, worrying I was failing my child, eating more to feel better.... horrible vicious cycle. It’s a bit better now but I’ve recently had a second child and in the early days when sleep deprivation was hitting hard I felt myself slipping back into PND, I’m trying really hard not to go there again.
 
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…