Do Not Let Stress Make Diabetes Care More Difficult

A chronic illness affects your life in many ways, not the least of which is facing the reality your disease will not go away. That is the situation when you have diabetes. Unlike a cold or flu, which you will get over, diabetes is something you will have to deal with the rest of your life, especially if you have Type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can potentially go into remission, but it is a lifelong condition you will have to manage.

The stress and uncertainty – for example, will your condition lead to more complications - you experience with a chronic illness, such as diabetes, can lead to frustration, anger, hopelessness and may result in depression.

The additional challenge of managing your chronic illness daily can cause even more stress. Daily diabetes self-care includes glucose testing, foot care, exercise, dietary changes/food preparation, and taking multiple medications.

Stress can impact disease

Stress can affect your blood sugar levels, making it more difficult to stay within your target range. Stress can lead to unhealthy behavior, including poor eating habits or smoking, which can result in high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity. These conditions can make managing your diabetes even more challenging. [1]

When you are under stress, your body releases hormones that can cause blood sugar levels to increase. That is why you will want to track when you feel stressed and how it affects your glucose levels to see what kind of patterns emerge. If you notice your glucose level is high when you are feeling stressed about something or some time of the day or week, you can take special steps to lower your stress during these periods and keep your glucose under control. [2]

Diabetes can lead to depression

Dealing with a life-threatening illness such as diabetes even can cause depression, which results in poorer health outcomes. The CDC reports that people with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes. Only 25% to 50% of people with diabetes who have depression get diagnosed and treated. But treatment—therapy, medicine, or both—is usually very effective. And without treatment, depression often gets worse, not better. [3]

CDC notes that symptoms of depression can be mild to severe, and include:[4]

• Feeling sad or empty
• Losing interest in favorite activities
• Overeating or not wanting to eat at all
• Not being able to sleep or sleeping too much
• Having trouble concentrating or making decisions
• Feeling very tired
• Feeling hopeless, irritable, anxious, or guilty
• Having aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems
• Having thoughts of suicide or death

Manage stress

While some level of stress will always be with you, there are ways to manage and reduce it. [5]

Talk to your health care providers about your feelings:  Once you acknowledge your distress, talk to your doctor, nurse, diabetes educator and any other health care providers who are part of your care and treatment. They can help problem-solve your concerns and may suggest other health care providers who can help.

Try to remain positive:  It is easy to focus on the negative when things challenge or trouble you. But it is important to find good in each area of your life. Focusing on the good can boost your spirits during the bad times.

Talk to friends and family:  Your friends and family can be a great source of help in relieving stress. Be open with them about your feelings and let them know when you need them to help you.

Exercise daily: Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. The American Diabetes Association recommends getting 150 minutes of exercise a week.

Try meditation: When you meditate you focus your attention and clear your mind of thoughts to give you a sense of calm and peace and achieve balance.

Pay attention to what you are feeling. Talk to your health care team so that stress does not interfere with the quality of your life and your efforts to manage your condition.

[1] Lewis, Krystal M., PhD, “Helping Patients with Diabetes Manage Stress,” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases,” September 16, 2020.  https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/professionals/diabetes-discoveries-practice/helping-patients-with-diabetes-manage-stress

[2] Purdie, Jennifer, “Stress: How It Affects Diabetes and How to Decrease It,” healthline, July 21, 2022. https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes-and-stress

[3] “Diabetes and Mental Health,” CDC, Accessed June 18, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/mental-health.html

[4] “Diabetes and Mental Health,” CDC

[5] WebMD Editorial Contributors, “Managing Stress When You Have Diabetes,” WebMD, February 21, 2021. https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/managing-stress