Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Depression and Diabetes

It is said that people with diabetes (PWD) run a high risk of depression.  Even with good control, diabetes is a tough thing to deal with on a daily basis.  Let's be blunt here: Diabetes sucks!  Really, it does.  Even with a great medical team, awesome friends, and an amazing family for support, it's understandable why many PWD deal with depression on some level.  Would I consider myself clinically depressed?  No.  Do I have some days that are harder to deal with than others?  You betcha!  No one would know it though.  I'm overall an upbeat person.  However there are days that are harder than others.  I get angry.  There are times I may overdo the carb control and exercise and other days where I just want to eat a whole package of chocolate chip cookies.

Mental illness and depression are looked at negatively in our society.  Almost as if it's the person's fault.  It is no one's fault!  Below are two videos.  The first one I was introduced to today.  It's a speech given by a 19 yr old young man, wise beyond his years.  The second video is a a song that means a lot to me.  It gives me hope.  It gives me something to hold on to.  Even if you're not a believer, everyone needs something that gives them hope.  My faith in God and belief in the Savior give me that hope.  Enjoy!




2 comments:

  1. I sat with my doctor last week and he explained to me that one of the reasons that I struggle with depression and possibly diabetes is because my cortisol levels are so high. I sat and cried. It took years for me to admit too and talk about my depression. It has such a bad reputation. People do blame me and feel that I should just snap out of it. I get blamed for diabetes too, I'm sure you know all about that. To know that both could be a symptom of another treatable disorder gives me hope. But at the same time, it makes me sad that I have been blamed for something that is probably caused by a tumor I had no control over.

    ReplyDelete