Diabetes and Anxiety are linked with each other which takes a mental tole on the patient. Anxiety and depression are the most common problems faced by patients suffering from Diabetes. It is believed that type 1 or type 2 Diabetes is linked with anxiety and mental health issues. There is stimulation of hypothalamus pituitary adrenal gland which in turn releases cortisol, growth hormones, epinephrine, nor epinephrene, other hormones in blood glucose levels. Thus leading to anxiety, depression during diabetes. Also one can not rule out increase in sugar levels or diabetes due to stress, anxiety.
Epidemiology of Diabetes & Anxiety:
According to the recent study in America, around 20 to 25 percent of diabetic people were suffering from anxiety than non diabetics. Around 40 to 45 percent of women population in India who have Diabetes are suffering from anxiety.
Ways of identifying anxiety in a diabetic patient:
- Feeling of fear, nervousness, at the time of commencement of the event.
- Avoiding visiting public places, events, any occasions.
- Development of symptoms of headache, palpitation of heart, restlessness, cramps in abdomen, sweating during attack of anxiety.
Patients get anxious due to diagnosis of complications of Diabetes like neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, gangrene etc. They also face anxiety due to management of Diabetes, following strict diet, taking complicated medications, sometimes insulin injections, exercising, improving lifestyle changes etc.
How to help a diabetic patient suffering with anxiety issues?
Usually in India, the Diabetes of the patient is managed by the diabetologist who is a physician and his mental health issues are treated with psychologist or psychiatrist. This leads to lack of collaboration between the two doctors as far as diabetes and mental health issues are concerned. Hence a Collaborative model of Diabetes and psychologist is practiced in such a way that the Diabetes and mental health issues like anxiety are well managed by the team of physicians working together. Thus the patient is given a self identified goal for Diabetes control and management and also given psychotherapy sessions to identify the mental health issues by the patient.
Management and treatment of anxiety and Diabetes:
- Management of anxiety by anticholinergic drugs, antipsychotics, beta blockers, nor epinephric drugs, anti depressants, benziodiapides help a lot.
- Antidepressants help in controlling Diabetes.
- Psychotherapy is given to patients with anti depressants and cognitive behavioral therapy is proved to be successful in such cases.
- Counselling sessions are conducted for behaviour therapy and controlling anxiety.
- Routine check ups for Diabetes is done.
- Improvement of lifestyle helps tremendously in improving the mental state of an individual.
- Exercising regularly helps to maintain fitness and control diabetes. It utilizes your glucose for energy this maintaining blood sugar levels.
- Plate diet is yet another way to improve your lifestyle and eating habits.
- Having more of fruits and green vegetables helps in boosting immunity and controls diabetes.
- Taking self care of being cautious of any injury helps preventing any complications.
- Identifying anxiety at an early stage of onset helps in curing the patient from the mental illness by Counselling and medication.
- Screening anxiety is extremely important for patients with HbA1C is more than 6.5.
- Educate the patient on relaxation methods like meditation, yoga, breathe in and breath out exercise, concentrating candle etc.
Thus we conclude that mental illness is equally important as important as Diabetes. Diabetes and anxiety pose a mental torment to the patient. A thorough routine investigation should be done for behaviour changes in such diabetic patients.
Dr. Nikhil Prabhu ( Diabetes Specialist )
Dr Nikhil Prabhu is a consultant Diabetologist from mumbai. he has been practicing for more than 10 years and currently over 7000 patients are under his treatment for diabetes and thyroid disorder from mumbai and navi mumbai area. | you can book his appointment for tele-consultation on 9082523295 | follow us on YouTube for more diabetes & health related tips
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