moods and t1

Hi @hollyslot
I definitely have this issue. Very irritable and quick to pounce with my words with a sharp tone. When my bs are over 10 I feel this. Not sure if it's diabetes related but my dn said it was a symptom... your not alone

If your bg is high, it's harder to control emotions sometimes. I think I manage it most of the time lol. I'm relatively easy going, so I just make sure I tell myself "your bg is a little high, take a deep breath".

hollyslot said:

this might sound a bit weird, but basically i'm scared that my diabetes is 'causing' all of my moods.

i have to keep reminding myself that it is a physical illness not a mental one, but do you feel very different in terms of your moods depending on your blood sugars?

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Hi Holly, my diabetes definately has a direct link on my moods, my daughter has told me so

When I'm low, obviously.. But when I'm high I too can be irritable and short, keeping my bg stable is both good for body and mind so I try and keep as close to my range as possible, sadly as we all know this can be a hard thing to do but it will help.

Hi Holly,

Yup I definitely see mood changes with my BG.
While I suppose technically you are right that the condition is at it's core a physical one I am inclined to say that I believe that diabetes as a whole does have a mental aspect to it and a pretty large one at that.
The reason I believe this is because of the sheer mental load that we have to live with ALL the time. Nothing is simple, nothing is entirely predictable and we live with the constant threats of complications. Oh, and there is no let-up, ever!

All these considered I would say that even without BG fluctuations affecting mood the continuous mental load does over time have an impact on us and is why I think it is important that many of us have this forum and also in person meetups with other T1's. Being able to unload and get support and encouragement from people who do understand is a great pressure release.

So no I don't think a bit weird (at least in that sense, you may well have your own much more interesting weirdness ) since for a physical condition it is so multifaceted in terms of it's impact on our daily lives that I think learning to cut ourselves some slack and be aware of our minds and bodies is a good thing.

/A

hollyslot said:

thanks for your responses. this might sound extreme but i am doubting the validity of my diagnosed mental health problems (anxiety and depression) as maybe they're just down to my diabetes? but then idk i guess type 1 diabetics aren't immune to mental health issues too. maybe they're just worsened by fluctuating levels.

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Holly, I don't know if you are aware but Type 1 diabetics are reportedly at a higher risk of mental illnesses than the general population. I've got to admit I haven't fully read into this but from my own experiences I find (in the same way as any physical illness) that when my diabetes and general health are even slightly off track I can get trapped in a spiral of negative thoughts.

I wouldn't say it is necessarily an issue in the validity of the diagnosis but I think it is important to realise that T1's do have a unique additional set of pressures on us. This is both the additional mental load of dealing with the condition but also the physiological / biochemical aspect of what happens to us when we are out of balance.

We are all so completely different in how we are and how our bodies respond to things that a lot of the time the broad strokes that are used to diagnose and treat us can definitely seem or feel (and sometimes actually be) off.

I think that the key thing really is in finding positive and healthy coping mechanisms, which is easier said than done. Let me know if you work that out and I promise to do the same As @isjoberg said there is a higher risk of mental issues with T1's, specifically depression and anxiety (can you really honestly blame us?).

That shouldn't really be a surprise since there is no cure for what we have, the treatment is basically like having a second job and it is so easy to screw up. If we do screw up even one dose at the wrong time and there is no help then the consequences are dire. Even if we do mostly well we constantly have HCP's reminding us about all the complications... so yeah, anxiety and depression.. not really a surprise when you look at it from that side.

But as I said before, at least here and face to face (if you manage to hook up with any of the informal T1 meetups) you have a huge amount of support and understanding from people that have a pretty fair idea of where you are coming from since they live through similar days.

Be mindful of your thoughts and feelings. Seek help where you need it, this is far harder and a greater sign of strength than not asking for help. Above all try not to berate yourself for your mistakes in dealing with this. For me when it gets hard I take it a day at a time, ignore yesterday (I write notes to tomorrow me about changes and corrections) and take it one day at a time.

Medical science hasn't a clue how we actually work, so you not really getting how you work is nothing to worry about in my opinion. If you think that your HCP's have messed up in some area then challenge them and get them to work with you to try and make your life better. I'm not saying have a slanging match but make notes on where you feel things need to get better for you to live a happier life and discuss it with them.

Mostly I hope that you are able to find a way to stabilise your levels so that you at least avoid the fun and games that come from the "glucocoaster"

/A

I get moody too but my bs is mostly stable and within ranges. HOWEVER, some days I need more insulin or insulin in between meals to keep steady. I'm wondering if it's more a matter of insulin needs more than bs fluctuations. Insulin IS a hormone so it makes sense in my mind. Seems by the end of the day if I've taken more insulin than usual isnwhen I get weepy and short fused.

Just found this topic and a lot of it relates to how I feel at the moment.

Today I went to a family party, my blood sugars have been good for a week or two. Even at the party I managed not to go above 8.5mmol. This is with lager and party food on the go. But I've just felt a right moody so and so. Snapped a few times at people and at one stage went and sat by myself for half an hour ( with my pint of lager). When my strop subsided I went and sat back with my family. Then again when we got home the irritability started, checked bs I was 6.5, not bad.

I'm starting to chill a bit now and relax, but this is because I'm on my own as everyones gone to bed. I feel that everythings a chore, the testing, the injecting, the calculations and everything else that goes with type 1.

Im still honeymooning after being diagnosed 9 months ago. Does it get easier as time goes by? Or is the honeymoon period the easiest part of being a t1?

I feel if I carry on like this I will end up being a lonely old man. I need some happy pills.

I just feel scared, frustrated and angry.

Diabetes absolutely affects your mood! Lows can cause confusion, anxiety, irritability and aggression. Highs can cause irritability, tiredness, and confusion if you're extremely high.

I know you said diabetes is physical, not mental, but if anything I think diabetics are more justified in their "moodiness" for precisely that reason. Something physical has gone wrong and it is affecting your brain - it wasn't your choice to get high/low blood sugar, and you can't change how it affects you, the same way you can't change the fact that having a broken leg makes you unable to walk. Don't feel bad about it - people around you will understand that it's not really "you" being grumpy, it's your blood sugar making you act like that.

As for solutions...communicate with your family and friends about what they should do in this situation. Sometimes I just like to be by myself (which has the benefit that people around you are not exposed to high blood sugar craziness!) but other times I want to be with others.

AGame said:

always worth a try, they have plenty of experience helping us T1Ds out.

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What're they gonna do, cure me?

Jc3131 said:

I feel if I carry on like this I will end up being a lonely old man. I need some happy pills.

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Or a few wins at the football

I find that it amplifies my normally grumpy and generally unpleasant personality to a ticking time bomb when it comes to outbursts or short and simple annoyed answers without any thought behind it when my blood sugar goes too low or high. The people that actually know me well can tell the cause of it, others will just find me a despicable person and swiftly move away or fuel an argument. I have from time to time later apologised for said outbursts afterwards and explained why, but it still feels pretty bad to have a go at someone or turn something down for no real reason especially if it's something that you later regret turning down or if you've just made someone you'll never meet again feel bad.

Cheers for the replies. @jlarsson i describe myself as a ticking time bomb at times as i can fly off the handle for no reason.

@ kev-w I actually think our predicament and total joke of a football club started my mood off. And what is a win?

I've got T1 diabetes. OK but it's not going to go away so I have a pragmatic approach. I do what I have to do to keep things balanced and not waste time, energy and life navel gazing into "what if"
Everyone has mood swings and I just deal with them as they come along

Jc3131 said:

Cheers for the replies. @jlarsson @ kev-w I actually think our predicament and total joke of a football club started my mood off. And what is a win?

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I feel your pain 70 odd miles south I watched York City get promoted back to the football league, then get relegated two seasons running down to Conference north. Dead club dying....

I'm known to be moody I think, high bloods always have me avoiding people as I just can't be bothered, and I've upset a few over the years with a nasty mouth during a hypo, maybe not nasty but I'm told I can lack subtlety at the best of times, but what do you do?