Showing posts with label diabetes and mental illness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diabetes and mental illness. Show all posts

Silent Suffering: The Hidden Psychological Challenges Faced by Children with Diabetes

Psychological Problems in Children with Diabetes:

Living with diabetes, especially as a child, can be immensely challenging. The constant need for blood sugar monitoring, medication injections, and dietary restrictions can significantly impact a child's emotional and mental well-being. Here are some common psychological problems faced by children with diabetes:

Adjustment Issues:

  • Diagnosis Shock: Initially, children may experience shock, denial, and fear after receiving the diagnosis. They might struggle to come to terms with the new reality and the changes it entails.
  • Feelings of Isolation and Stigma: Children with diabetes might feel different from their peers due to their condition and treatment routine. This can lead to feelings of isolation and stigma, affecting their social interactions and self-esteem.
  • Anxiety and Depression: The constant pressure of managing diabetes can trigger anxiety and worry about blood sugar levels, complications, and social judgment. This can lead to depression, impacting mood, sleep, and overall well-being.

Behavioral Changes:

  • Rebellion and Refusal: Some children might rebel against the restrictions and demands of diabetes management. They might refuse to check their blood sugar, take medication, or follow dietary guidelines.
  • Eating Disorders: The focus on food and blood sugar control can lead to unhealthy eating habits and disordered relationships with food. Some children might develop eating disorders like anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.
  • Acting Out: Frustration and stress due to diabetes can manifest in behavioral problems like hyperactivity, aggression, or withdrawal.

Impact on Family Dynamics:

  • Family Conflict: Managing diabetes can be a challenging task for families. Disagreements about treatment plans, blame, and frustration can lead to conflict and tension within the family.
  • Parental Overprotectiveness: Some parents might become overly protective of their child with diabetes, limiting their independence and social interactions. This can hinder the child's development and coping skills.

Addressing Psychological Challenges:

  • Mental Health Support: Seeking professional help from psychologists or therapists specializing in chronic conditions like diabetes is crucial. They can provide individual and family therapy to address adjustment issues, anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems.
  • Support Groups: Connecting with other children and families living with diabetes can provide valuable support and understanding. Sharing experiences and coping strategies can help children feel less alone and empower them to manage their condition effectively.
  • Positive Communication: Open and honest communication within the family is essential. Parents should listen to their child's concerns, fears, and frustrations and provide emotional support.

Remember, every child is different, and their experience with diabetes will be unique. By recognizing the potential psychological challenges and providing appropriate support, we can help children with diabetes thrive and live fulfilling lives.

Psychological complications of diabetes.. Depression. Mental fatigue. Stress and anxiety. Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Social panic. Dependence on smoking

May lead diabetes to a lot of psychological problems, a study conducted in Turkey (in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Suleyman Demirel) having psychological problems following in a group of diabetics Type II and the level of glycated hemoglobin have more than 7% (ie, they suffer from high sugar in the blood in the previous three months):
1 - depression   Major depressive disorder in 67.5% of the bitter Dy.
2 - mental fatigue Dysthymic disorder In 10 %.
3 - stress and anxiety   Anxiety disorders   At 7.5%.
4 - OCD Obsessive compulsive disorder   5%.
5 - panic disease Social Social phobia At 2.5%.
6 - rely on smoking   Nicotine dependence At 7.5%.
While the results showed in the same study in another set of type II diabetics actually under control (glycated hemoglobin less than 7%) and the presence of psychological problems following:
1 - depression in 43.8% of patients.
2 - mental fatigue in 10.9%.
3 - paranoia Paranoid disorders   At 3.1%.
4 - obsessive-compulsive disorder in 6.3% 0
5 - social panic patients at 4.7%.
6 - stress and anxiety in 6.3% 0
7 - to rely on smoking in 9.4%.
Conclusion In this study is that depression is more common in diabetic patients who suffer from high blood diabetes (non-control) more than diabetics who was the level of sugar in their blood under medical control.

Diabetes and pressures.. Reduce the practice of sports and eating little food health beneficial for the body and irregular check the level of sugar in the blood

Pressures affect the level of sugar in the blood in two ways:
* When a person suffers from great pressures it easy interruption of the normal work enrolled. Pressures may lead to reduce the practice of sport, eating little food health beneficial for the body, and irregularities in the examination   The level of sugar in the blood. So the pressure could lead indirectly to increase the level of sugar in the blood.
** Pressures may also lead to raise the level of sugar in the blood also directly. As for the pressures resulting from organic disease, increasing the emotional pressures if long   May stimulate the body to produce hormones resistant to the action of insulin.
This in turn leads to increased blood sugar level. These changes occur more commonly in patients who suffer from injury Type II diabetes.

Mental functions and memory loss in patients with diabetes.. Memory loss caused by Alzheimer's disease or problems resulting from blood vessels in the brain

Studies have shown that patients with type   Second of sugar more susceptible to memory loss caused by Alzheimer's disease ( (Alzheimer , Or problems resulting from blood vessels in the brain. Poor concentration and memory can occur even in people who are less than 55 years old and suffering from diabetes for several years. The study showed   That the increase in the level of sugar in the blood   In people with type I diabetes may be related to brain function slowly, including difficulty in pronunciation, as well as the difficulty in conducting mental arithmetic.
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