THRIVING WITH DIABETES

The D Word - We're not Talking Diabetes

Taken from 10 Steps to Better Living with Diabetes by Ginger Kanzer-Lewis, RN, BC, EdM, CDE. Published by the American Diabetes Association ©2007.

Does any of this sound familiar?

"Diabetes is not the worst thing in the world. You are not alone, and you will get through this." Sure, it's easy to say this, but it's not easy to buy it.

Depression is very common in people with diabetes and being told you have a chronic disease is certainly a reason to be depressed. A recent study, the DAWN Study (Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes and Needs), found that many patients find life with diabetes stressful right from the beginning, when they find out that they have diabetes.

If you find yourself depressed at any point, talk to someone. Depression can happen to anyone with diabetes. Some people do very well for several years and then reach a plateau with their diabetes care. They suddenly can't get their blood sugars lower or they stop losing weight or even start gaining weight.

If a situation like this hits you, keep in mind that you have not failed. Diabetes is a progressive disease, and medications only work for so long before the body acclimates to them and they lose their effectiveness. When this happens, dosage amounts need to be adjusted or a new medication needs to be prescribed. It happens, and getting depressed about this can happen too. If you get depressed, please talk to someone.

Learn more about the symptoms of depression and resources that are available to you.

For more information or assistance, contact the American Diabetes Association National Call Center at 1-800-DIABETES.