More than 80% of people with diabetes have experienced diabetes stigma.
Nearly 50% of people with diabetes have experienced mental health challenges in the last 12 months.
More than 30% of people with diabetes have experienced workplace discrimination.*
Living with diabetes means having to look after yourself every single day. There is no chance for a break. This constant pressure takes its toll, and many people experience feelings of depression and anxiety at times.
Feeling down or worried about your diabetes doesn’t necessarily mean you have a mental health condition. But, if you do, you are not alone, and help is available. Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health conditions that people in Australia experience, whether they have diabetes or not.
Having depression or anxiety may not be related to your diabetes, but it can affect the way you feel about your diabetes. If you think you may be experiencing depression or anxiety, it is important to seek help from a qualified health professional.
Depression is much more than sadness. It is a serious mental health condition. It affects how you feel about yourself and your life, it can prevent you from fully engaging in daily tasks, social activities, and relationships.
Symptoms of depression include
If you have had any of these symptoms for at least two weeks, talk to your general practitioner (GP). They can make an assessment, offer treatment and/or refer you to a mental health professional.
It is important that you seek help from a qualified health professional.
Read more about diabetes and depression.
Anxiety is an excessive amount of fear in anticipation of something bad happening.
Usually, this is a healthy response to a real threat. For example, certain situations, such as public speaking or having a ‘hypo’ (hypoglycaemia, or low blood glucose), can trigger anxious feelings.
Anxiety becomes a serious problem (a mental health condition, known as an ‘anxiety disorder’) when these feelings last for a long time (i.e., at least two weeks) and have a negative impact on your daily life.
Symptoms of anxiety include
Anxiety also has physical symptoms, including:
If you have had any of these symptoms for at least two weeks, talk to your general practitioner (GP). They can make an assessment, offer treatment and/or refer you to a mental health professional.
Read more about diabetes and anxiety.
Diabetes distress is the emotional burden of living with and managing diabetes. For example, you may feel
Diabetes distress becomes a serious problem when these emotions start to affect daily life,
including work, school, relationships and diabetes management.
Read more about diabetes distress.
If severe diabetes distress is not managed, it can get worse over time. It may lead to ‘burnout’. This is when a person feels emotionally exhausted and overwhelmed by the demands of their diabetes. They try to cope with this by giving up on taking care of their diabetes.
Diabetes stigma is the negative attitudes to diabetes or towards people with diabetes. People experience diabetes stigma when they are blamed for having diabetes, while managing diabetes such as injecting insulin in public and when they experience the affects and complications of diabetes such as low blood sugar.
Stigma affects all aspects of life for people with diabetes, including their mental health and wellbeing.
Read more about diabetes and stigma
The information here is intended as a general guide.
Talk to your health professional about getting the support you need.
Source: National Diabetes Services Scheme; The Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes; Diabetes Australia
Supported by Sanofi