If you are trying to know about depression and figuring out if you are at risk for other diseases, this is the right article for you. As we focus more and more on mental health issues, we learn that depression and anxiety are very common health issues among people of different age groups. People develop depression for different reasons. Similarly, diabetes and other lifestyle diseases are also very common among people, including children.
In this article, we will learn about depression and type 2 diabetes and the link between the two diseases. A lot of people who suffer from diabetes often suffer from depression because of the stress they face from the symptoms. Nearly 40 per cent of people who suffer from diabetes often suffer from the signs of depression. It is very difficult to detect depression because it can manifest among people in different ways.
What are the links between diabetes and depression?
Diabetes and depression have links because they could have some similar and interlinked symptoms. The diabetes symptoms can often be mimicked in depression. Moreover, when you are depressed, you could also develop weird eating patterns, and your lifestyle could change drastically. These changes can also lead to signs of type 2 diabetes and other health issues. Let us look at some of the symptoms that are common between diabetes and depression.
Unexplained weight loss
People want to lose weight to look thin, but this weight loss should happen in a healthy way. If you are noticing that you are losing weight unnaturally and in an unexplained way, it could be that you are suffering from diabetes or depression. Some people might even have both as health conditions. Your eating patterns will change when you go through depression. The same can also be said for the triggers that develop diabetes in your body.
When your eating patterns and diet change, your body weight will fluctuate. When the body weight fluctuates, you should get tested for metabolic disorders and other internal issues. Sometimes, with diabetes and depression, people develop eating disorders where they eat a lot, but they are unable to retain nutrition for the body. So, there could be signs of depression, type 2 diabetes and unexplained weight loss.
Fatigue
Diabetes signs and depression can also show up as fatigue and chronic tiredness. Fatigue can manifest in people and could be a symptom of diabetes in women. However, a lot of people ignore these signs, thinking that they are facing a lot of stress in their day-to-day lives. Such people might also get depressed because of the lack of activity.
Tiredness, lack of activity, weight gain and diabetes are all linked in a vicious cycle, which could either be a cause for depression or its consequence. People who are depressed can feel inherently tired because their mind is tired and dull. Because of the tiredness, they can lie down for long hours, and this can cause weight gain, which is a trigger for diabetes. Depression slows down your metabolism and can also affect your glucose metabolism.
Increased thirst
Increased thirst is a sign that can be linked with both diabetes and depression. A lot of people experience severe bouts of anxiety when they are depressed. Severe anxiety is often linked with dryness of the mouth and wanting to drink more water. This is also a sign of high blood sugar levels because it can be a minor sign of diabetes.
If you are feeling more thirsty than usual and also suffer from frequent urination or urination at night, then you might have diabetes. If you are facing increased thirst needs and think that you are diabetic, you should get yourself tested with us.
Increased hunger pangs
When you are healthy, you will eat in a healthy way, and if you eat healthy, you will stay healthy. Therefore, if your eating patterns have changed and you face more hunger pangs, it is a sign that you are suffering from either depression, diabetes or both.
It is possible that you have an eating disorder due to depression and face hunger pangs. However, if the hunger pangs continue and you do not control your eating style or quantity, you can face a lot of health issues, including obesity and depression.
Feeling worthless
When you are depressed, you feel worthless and could even edge towards self-harm because you do not feel any kind of self-preservation instinct and do not attach any value to your life. This feeling of worthlessness can also be an emotion that people with severe diabetes and obesity might feel.
People might feel a lack of worth and value for a lot of reasons, like obesity and the signs of diabetes. Sometimes, the symptoms of diabetes and the restrictions you have to follow are so many that you feel worthless and like a burden. So, the feeling of worthlessness is something that is common between the two diseases.
Also Read: Depression – Stages, Types, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
Depression as a cause of diabetes
A lot of studies have shown us that depression can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Depression can also be a direct contributor to the development of diabetes in the type 2 form. The effect of diabetes is on the increase of BMI, and this can lead to diabetes in people. If we delve deeper, there are seven mutations that lead to both depression and diabetes.
Therefore, you can suffer from both, or one can lead to the other in your body. It is very important to embrace happy and healthy habits so that the chances of diabetes and depression remain low in your body. The occurrence of diabetes is not only physical but also mental and neural. It is important to take care of your well-being in all aspects if you are at risk for diabetes.
Conclusion
At Agilus Diagnostics, you can get tested for diabetes risk factors and diseases. You can also talk to our experts and counsellors, who will help you deal with the effects of diabetes and can also offer you mental health support. Instead of slipping into depression, make changes in your lifestyle to strengthen your physical and mental health.
Agilus Diagnostics, a subsidiary of Fortis Healthcare Limited
