Can my blood sugar levels cause anxiety or depression?
Low blood sugar can trigger reactions in the body similar to fear and anxiety, and the stress of managing diabetes can also cause depressive symptoms. Watch endocrinologist Reza Yavari, MD, discuss how blood sugar is linked to anxiety and depression.
Transcript
Diabetes can cause depression also because it is a chronic condition that
needs to be monitored and dealt with on a regular basis. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Low blood sugars trigger a chain of reactions in the body that is similar to fear and anxiety.
Release of catecholamines and release of stress hormones often follows low blood sugar.
In addition, people who have had symptomatic low blood sugars, in other words, they have either passed out
or they have felt like they're going to pass out, they're often worried about it happening again.
So as the blood sugar drops, they get anxious about the next thing that's going to happen, and that creates a certain form of chronic anxiety for people
with diabetes that is out of control. In addition to anxiety, diabetes is often associated with depression.
We don't quite understand the underlying mechanism of depression. However, we know that high blood sugars can
cause people to not feel right. They feel drowsy. They feel sluggish. And that is often one of the findings of depression
which people with diabetes often complain about. Diabetes can cause depression also
because it is a chronic condition that needs to be monitored and dealt with on a regular basis.
And this can cause a certain burnout syndrome, which often leads to depression.
living with diabetes
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