Diabetes and mental health from Psychology

An often forgotten aspect of the type 2 diabetes it is the burden on mental health that patients with this disease must cope with. Fortunately, there are lifestyle modification strategies and some natural supplements that can help patients deal with the stress associated with diabetes and diabetes. depression.

Before reading this article, we recommend you read our article 'How do I know if I have diabetes? Main warning symptoms‘So that you know exactly the symptoms of this condition.

Diabetes: mind and body

The diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder caused by an absolute or relative lack of insulinto. Type 1 diabetes mellitus usually begins in childhood with the inability of the pancreas to secrete insulin and properly regulate blood sugar. The most common type of diabetes mellitus is type 2. It usually begins in adulthood, due to poor lifestyle habits and is characterized by a lack of insulin sensitivity, which cannot be overcome by the pancreas.

At the moment, diabetes sufferers have many natural health products at their fingertips

, as well as very good diets that help improve blood sugar regulation and at the same time reduce risk factors for kidney failure, nerve damage, blindness, and cardiovascular events, such as strokes and seizures cardiac.

However, many doctors approach type 2 diabetes, focusing mainly on hormonal disturbances, visual damage, nerve damage, cardiovascular problems and kidney problems, but the mental health consequences of those living with it are rarely discussed and managed disease.

Type 2 diabetes affects the mind and body, so it is imperative that doctors take a holistic approach in disease management.

Mental health problems and diabetes

The mental health burden that patients with diabetes face is worrisome. Compared with non-diabetic patients, the severity of depression and anxiety disorders is usually much more pronounceds. The combination of psychological disorders and diabetes is especially harmful because it can have a negative impact on psychosocial and medical outcomes.

Among patients with type 2 diabetes, those with depressive symptoms tend to stress more easilyd, which leads to an increase in the negativity of the person, which, in turn, causes the affected person to end up seeing his behavior and mood changed.

The depression and anxiety can also lead to other seemingly unrelated health problems. For example, a recent study showed that, compared to healthy subjects, patients with type 2 diabetes with severe depression and anxiety have a higher prevalence of symptoms gastrointestinal

There are even a specific personality trait attributed to type 2 diabetes, known as the Type D (distressed personality), which in Spanish means "anguished personality." Type 2 diabetic patients with Type D personality increasingly feel lonely. In addition, it increases stress and emotional distress.

Controlling stress

While it is clear that type 2 diabetes increases the likelihood of mental health problems and managing the daily stresses of life, The good news is that there are numerous strategies that can help patients better manage their psychological health and live a life harmonious.

Yoga

One of the best strategies is to perform yoga Many times per week. The Yoga helps build awareness of the body and is very effective in calming the nervous system. It is an activity in which numerous postures are carried out that integrate the body and the mind.

According to a 2011 study, the practice of yoga “improves muscle strength and flexibility of the body; promotes and improves respiratory and cardiovascular function; promotes recovery and treatment of addictions; reduces stress, anxiety, depression and chronic pain; improve sleep patterns; and improve general well-being and quality of life”.

Another recent study showed that yoga significantly improved the quality of life for patients with type 2 diabetes. Previous studies have shown that yoga helps control the symptoms and complications associated with type 2 diabetes.

Regularly practicing yoga can help type 2 diabetic patients to have less psychological distress and better management of their disease.

The other advantage is the potential absence of side effects, as yoga is free of side effects when practiced correctly.

Mindfuness and mindfulness meditation

Mind training is a form of meditation that helps people to focus your attention on the present, and encourage people to have a positive attitude toward that experience. The justification for this type of meditation has been validated in the medical literature, especially for chronic diseases such as diabetes.

Similar research has shown that participation in this type of meditation can benefit the patient's ability to cope with diabetes-related symptoms, in addition to improving the quality of life and well-being of these people.

To know all the psychological benefits of Mindfulness, you can visit our article "Mindfulness: 8 benefits of mindfulness".

Helpful Supplements

The most advisable thing is to complement yoga with a treatment based on natural medicines to help de-stress and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. In any case, we should always consult a health professional to make sure which supplements are the most suitable for each person.

Chrome

One of my favorite natural medicines for type 2 diabetes is the mineral chromium. This mineral has the property of increasing insulin sensitivity in the body. Numerous studies have revealed that the mineral chromium can improve the effectiveness of blood sugar stabilizing medications, thereby optimizing glucose control. A meta-analysis showed that supplemental chromium reduced both glycated hemoglobin and fasting blood sugar levels.