Does diabetes affect your mood?

[kimrooney89]

Evening all

I'm 27 and have been diagnosed as type 1 diabetic for 10 years.

I've seen a few articles and have heard that being diabetic can impact and affect your mood/emotions.

I'm curious of your thoughts on this?

I guess with being diagnosed at 17 I don't really have any way of comparing my mood/emotions from now to then as I was a teenager (probably hormonal ) with no real responsibilities...

 

[SWUSA_]

Yes, Diabetes affects your mood but good glucose control helps lessen the impact of lows and highs on your mood. Very high blood glucose cam lead to irritability, lack of energy, and paradoxically giddiness in some. I giggle a lot when my BG is high and am sometimes very silly. Low blood glucose can have the same symptoms but tends to favor irritability and low energy. People with Type 1 tend to have tighter control and fewer symptoms of mood swings than people with Type 2.

Depression is also found at higher rates in people with Diabetes than the general public. It is unclear whether the higher rate of Depression is due to uncontrolled BG or stress of having Diabetes or some other link between the two. Depression is over all low mood that does not change over several weeks. There is an additional effect of some antidepressants that raises blood glucose in some and so may contribute to developing Diabetes in those who are susceptible.

Hope that helps. please ask more if yo need clarification.

 

[kimrooney89]

Thank you for your reply @SWUSA_

I guess I've never actually given much thought to how much being T1 impacts on even the simplest of things...My hubby has occassionaly mentioned that I can be a bit up and down, (laughing fits and tears) I've never really made the connection to my diabetes. I've always just pegged myself as an expressive emotional person

 

[SWUSA_]

Thank you for your reply @SWUSA_

I guess I've never actually given much thought to how much being T1 impacts on even the simplest of things...My hubby has occassionaly mentioned that I can be a bit up and down, (laughing fits and tears) I've never really made the connection to my diabetes. I've always just pegged myself as an expressive emotional person

Well some of us are a bit more expressive than others to be sure-I have been called a drama queen at times-usually not as a compliment.

 

[kimrooney89]

Well some of us are a bit more expressive than others to be sure-I have been called a drama queen at times-usually not as a compliment.

Hehe, I prefer being called Diva to drama queen, it sounds more regal

 

[SWUSA_]

I like Diva also. I usually try to check my blood glucose if I am tearful in excess as a response to something. I try to eat something healthy if I am grumpy and low. Cravings for sugary treats and carb laden comfort foods are common with low mood but will send you on a rollercoaster of high and then lows. It's better for your mood to eat healthy low to moderate carb meals and snacks when you are labile.

 

[kimrooney89]

It sounds so simple, I can't believe I've never made the link before...I'm changing to a low carb eating regime as per advice from my DSN as I have Dawn phenomenon and also seem to be insulin resistant up until mid afternoon so hopefully that will help regulate my mood as well as my BG levels

 

[Maggie/Magpie]

Hi Kim,
I'm a recently diagnosed type 2, already with depression.
There was a whole series of emotions I went through when first diagnosed, the first and strongest was one of shock. Many question why its happened to them? Some fear what their future may be. There's often a period of denial. You have to get your head around the whole idea of being diabetic and what you can do about it, what you can now eat/not eat, what all the tests mean and so on. Some are worried about what the future brings especially with all the possible complications surrounding diabetes. But from what I've read here most of these things seem to be normal reactions to being diagnosed.

 

[SWUSA_]

It sounds so simple, I can't believe I've never made the link before...I'm changing to a low carb eating regime as per advice from my DSN as I have Dawn phenomenon and also seem to be insulin resistant up until mid afternoon so hopefully that will help regulate my mood as well as my BG levels

I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Monthlies will still mess with your control though.Remember to eat lots of low carb vegetables-the fiber helps a lot.

Also adding some moderate intensity exercise like walking for 20 minutes or bicycing (outside or stationary) can help a lot too if you are not already doing it. It helps make your muscles more sensitive to insulin and improves mood as well.

 

[SWUSA_]

Hi Kim,
I'm a recently diagnosed type 2, already with depression.
There was a whole series of emotions I went through when first diagnosed, the first and strongest was one of shock. Many question why its happened to them? Some fear what their future may be. There's often a period of denial. You have to get your head around the whole idea of being diabetic and what you can do about it, what you can now eat/not eat, what all the tests mean and so on. Some are worried about what the future brings especially with all the possible complications surrounding diabetes. But from what I've read here most of these things seem to be normal reactions to being diagnosed.

Yes, shock is normal-but you seem to be regrouping well.Keep on making the good changes.
@Maggie/Magpie

 

[kimrooney89]

I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Monthlies will still mess with your control though.Remember to eat lots of low carb vegetables-the fiber helps a lot.

Also adding some moderate intensity exercise like walking for 20 minutes or bicycing (outside or stationary) can help a lot too if you are not already doing it. It helps make your muscles more sensitive to insulin and improves mood as well.

That sounds like solid advice, thank you very much

 

[azure]

Yes, I think diabetes messes with your moods in two ways - firstly, any swings in blood sugar can affect my mood, but also I think simply having any chronic condition can impact your moods, especially if you have other things going on in your life.

 

[GrantGam]

Most definitely. I get happy when my BGL is more or less in range and fairly flat in terms of it's profile. I also get quite upset and angry when competing with Dawn Phenomenon (as I am currently) and getting waking BG's of 15mmol/l+ unless I wake up and bolus between 4am-6am... That has the ability to make you feel pretty bad before you've even opened your curtains. That was I feeling I very rarely experienced before my diagnosis.

I would say that diabetes has the biggest potential emotional impact on me over anything else. Like any chronic illness, there is no escape - so for me that means I'm permanently focused on my condition. Some days when my control is good, I can be very happy - other days when it's all going Pete Tong, I can spit the dummy out and hate life... I'm no different to any other diabetic, we can often be quite hard on ourselves when it comes to management. There is no winning really, there is always room for improvement so it's almost like competing in a race where first place is impossible. That would make anyone a bit sad right?!

 

[azure]

@GrantGam1337 I think sometimes highs can cause 'double anger' - anger/irritability from the actual high and personal anger too at 'failing' and diabetes in general.

 

[GrantGam]

@GrantGam1337 I think sometimes highs can cause 'double anger' - anger/irritability from the actual high and personal anger too at 'failing' and diabetes in general.

I think you're pretty bang on with that statement @azure.

 

[cathief51]

It definitely does affect your mood. My hubby often says to me what was your reading, meaning your being a *****. He is usually right and my level is low. I often don't know till it gets extremely low so he is a good warning.

 

[kimrooney89]

Most definitely. I get happy when my BGL is more or less in range and fairly flat in terms of it's profile. I also get quite upset and angry when competing with Dawn Phenomenon (as I am currently) and getting waking BG's of 15mmol/l+ unless I wake up and bolus between 4am-6am... That has the ability to make you feel pretty bad before you've even opened your curtains. That was I feeling I very rarely experienced before my diagnosis.

I would say that diabetes has the biggest potential emotional impact on me over anything else. Like any chronic illness, there is no escape - so for me that means I'm permanently focused on my condition. Some days when my control is good, I can be very happy - other days when it's all going Pete Tong, I can spit the dummy out and hate life... I'm no different to any other diabetic, we can often be quite hard on ourselves when it comes to management. There is no winning really, there is always room for improvement so it's almost like competing in a race where first place is impossible. That would make anyone a bit sad right?!

I'm currently competing with Dawn phenomenon too, it's a nightmare! I'm also apparently insulin resistant until late afternoon and then I become more sensitive to my insulin.
I feel like I'm constantly checking my BG levels, taking huge amounts of insulin and having to do corrections constantly.
I read your reply to azure, as soon as you said 'bang on' I knew you were Scottish too

 

[kimrooney89]

@azure that definitely makes sense and I think I've experienced 'double anger'.

@cathief51 I've had the same thing in the past too, it's horrible hearing back what you've said/done when you were low.

 

[Kristin251]

Yes, definitely! As grant and azure pointed out. It all stinks and makes me moody unless I'm very very steady