One of the most challenging aspects of living with diabetes is coping with its emotional aspects.
Mental health
Diabetes and mental health are very closely linked.
Everyone can feel stressed from time to time. Managing your diabetes, as well as other life demands, can feel very overwhelming. Emotional swings can affect your blood sugar levels, so it's important that you know how to recognize mood changes or stressors and how to deal with them.
It is estimated that 30% of people with diabetes have symptoms of depression at one time or another. Sometimes people living with diabetes feel distressed, which can include feeling frustrated, sad, angry or worried. Diabetes distress is a very common condition, so do not feel that you are alone.
The articles in this mental health section explore these and other commonly seen emotional and psychological issues, and offer helpful tips on how to cope and develop management strategies.
10 techniques to reduce stress for Canadians living with Diabetes
As a psychiatrist, I’ve seen it time and time again -people come looking for deep explanations or complex solutions to reduce stress from living with diabetes.
Stress and diabetes
Everyone has stress in their lives at certain times, but this is especially true for people who are living with a chronic disease – such as diabetes – which can often be challenging to manage.
How your mood impacts diabetes care
I’ve spent years as a psychiatrist working with people managing chronic conditions like diabetes, and I can tell you what’s going on with your mood matters as much as what’s on your plate.
Boost your emotional well-being through the foods you eat
Living with diabetes can be stressful, with the constant demands of management often leading to anxiety and distress. The foods you eat will impact your mental health as much as your physical health
Stress-free sleep: tips for bedtime routines
“Get some sleep!” We have all heard this refrain from parents, partners, siblings and even our own children. We all instinctively know the importance of sleep.
