Why should a diabetes patient see a mental health professional?

In addition to creating physical and metabolic problems, diabetes can affect a person’s thoughts and feelings, often making people with the disease feel as if they have somehow failed. You could probably benefit from seeing a therapist, such as a social worker, family therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. Such mental health professionals can help people deal with some of the personal and emotional aspects that are inevitably associated with diabetes.

A social worker should hold a master’s degree in social work (MSW), as well as have training in individual, group, and family therapy. Social workers can help you cope with many concerns related to diabetes, including problems within the family, coping with workplace situations, and locating resources to help with medical or financial needs.

A marriage and family therapist should hold a master’s or doctoral degree in a mental health field and have additional training in individual, family, and marriage therapy. These therapists can help you with personal problems in family and marital relationships and problems on the job.

A clinical psychologist usually has a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology and is trained in individual, group, and family psychology. You may visit a clinical psychologist to help you through a particularly stressful period over the course of several weeks or months, or on a longer-term basis to work through depression, anxiety, or other problems.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor with training in the relationship between physical well-being and mental health. Psychiatrists with expertise in treating people with diabetes can help you understand how the physical problem of diabetes can also affect your mental health. Psychiatrists prescribe medications or hospitalization for emotional problems, if needed. If you feel that you need some help coping with the emotional burden of diabetes, don’t be afraid to talk to your diabetes care provider, who can recommend an appropriate health care professional.

Persons with diabetes have a much higher prevalence of depression, sometimes due to stressors associated with the need to change lifestyle and coping with the stress when one is newly diagnosed.  Be on the lookout for the following symptoms:

Loss of pleasure in activities you once enjoyed, sleep problems such as insomnia or frequent waking in the night, appetite changes (eating more or less than usual), loss of concentration, poor energy, irritability or anxiety, excessive worrying, inappropriate or excessive guilt, feelings of hopelessness and/or helplessness, and thoughts of suicide.  Should you experience any or many or all of the above symptoms, get psychological help as soon as possible.  If thoughts of suicide are occurring, call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately for help.