Diabetics are more likely to suffer from depression

Significantly increased risk of depression in diabetic patients

For people with diabetes, the risk of developing depression is particularly high. According to the German Diabetes Association (DDG), diabetics suffer from depression about twice as often as the population on average. "Depression in patients with diabetes is a massive and hitherto underestimated problem," says Professor Dr. med. Baptist Gallwitz, Past President and Press Officer of the DDG.

Of the approximately 6.5 million people in Germany who have diabetes, according to the DDG, an estimated 800,000 people are simultaneously suffering from a depression requiring treatment. Thus, "depression in people with diabetes are twice as common as in the general population," said Professor. Psychologist Bernd Kulzer, spokesman for the Diabetes and Psychology Working Group of the German Diabetes Association (DDG). For those affected, this can have fatal consequences.

Diabetes stress often triggers depression

The diabetes-related stress, according to the experts are often triggers an accompanying depression. After all, "patients with diabetes have to take responsibility for their therapy every day, keep a close eye on their blood glucose levels, dose and ingest medication, and process setbacks," explains Prof. Kulzer. This could be very stressful and depressing especially if, in addition to the diabetes disease "other pressures in life are present, negative experiences such as hypoglycemia or secondary diseases or people experience little support in dealing with diabetes."

Depression with a negative effect on diabetes treatment

The effects of clinical depression on the health of diabetic patients, according to the DDG, can be extremely far-reaching. The diabetes treatment would be considerably endangered by the depressive mood. Often, patients are no longer adequately able to perform the necessary blood glucose measurements and to inject insulin. As a consequence, the long-term blood glucose value HbA1c deteriorates. Without a psychotherapeutic treatment in such cases hardly a successful diabetes therapy can be done.

Increased risk of secondary diseases

The depression also leads to direct negative physical effects in diabetes, as in the mental illness via the activation of the pituitary-adrenal axis is an increase in inflammatory processes on the large and small blood vessels. "This in turn promotes the development of other sequelae, such as nerves, eyes, feet or kidneys," explains Prof. Kulzer. The sequelae such as a stroke or heart attack are also responsible for the fact that the mortality risk doubles in people with diabetes and depression. Likewise, the increased suicide rate plays a role. "We unfortunately have to conclude that suicide risk is higher than that in depressed people without diabetes," says Prof. Kulzer.

Pay attention to warnings

Diabetics should urgently seek psychological help with appropriate warning signs, according to the DDG. There are special psychologists here, but those affected "can also turn to any psychotherapist who is a resident" Andrea Benecke, Board of the Federal Psychotherapeutic Chamber (BPtK). So far, about half of all depression in diabetes is not recognized, adds Prof. Kulzer. "The diagnosis is far too rare," says the expert. The warnings should therefore by no means be ignored. "If the therapy becomes a burden and costs more energy than before, that is an alarm signal," Kurz emphasizes.

Psychotherapy offers help

Affected diabetics can be helped with a special psychotherapy, the goal of a stable mental health condition, "which allows a return to a reliable self-management of diabetes, which in turn expresses a stable HbA1c value," said Dr. med. Andrea Benecke. However, it is a prerequisite that the persons concerned turn to a psychologist or psychotherapist for appropriate warning signals. (Fp)