Diabetes and Anxiety

Everyone feels a bit nervous or on edge now and then, but people with anxiety disorders worry so much that their fretting interferes with daily life. Studies suggest that people with diabetes often struggle with anxiety; the condition is probably about as common among diabetes patients as depression. Patients may feel a general sense of anxiety about having the disease or cite specific concerns, such as fear of hypoglycemia, needles, sexual difficulties, or weight gain. Doctors say that diabetes patients who feel anxious and stressed out are less likely to carefully manage blood sugar, increasing the risk for complications. Like depression, anxiety disorders often go undiagnosed.

Many symptoms of anxiety overlap with those of depression. They may include
  • feeling "stressed out"
  • restlessness and irritability
  • lack of energy
  • difficulty concentrating
  • muscle tension
  • the jitters
  • headaches
  • poor sleep
  • excessive sweating
  • palpitations or shortness of breath
  • upset stomach
Anxiety Treatment

The treatment choices for anxiety, like those for depression, fall into two main categories: behavioral treatments and medication.

Yoga is one treatment for calming anxiety and stress.
Yoga is one treatment for calming
 anxiety and stress.

Relaxation therapy. A little stress is good for us; the "oh-my-gosh!" reflex allows us to meet deadlines and sprint through airports to catch connecting flights. However, when the so-called "fight or flight" instinct works overtime, anxiety and stress result. Fortunately, you can learn to turn off or tone down the panicky voice in your head through various relaxation techniques. There are countless relaxation methods; the key is to find one that works for you and stick with it, whether you choose meditation, yoga, prayer, needlepoint, or Three Stooges movies.

Studies have shown that one technique in particular, biofeedback, may be able to help type 2 patients keep glucose levels under control. In biofeedback, a therapist asks the patient to think about relaxing his or her body. Meanwhile, sensors attached to the skin deliver information to a computer monitor or other medium in the form of data about a biological function that increases or intensifies when we're stressed out, such as circulation, skin temperature, or muscle tension. Receiving this "feedback" reinforces a patient's innate ability to slow the pulse or reduce muscle tension, which has a relaxing effect.

Medication. In some cases, doctors may prescribe medications called benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), to control anxiety. Benzodiazepines work fast and cause few side effects, other than drowsiness. However, they can be highly addictive, so these pills are typically used for short periods and may be a poor choice for patients with alcohol or drug abuse problems.

One alternative to benzodiazepines is the drug buspirone (BuSpar), which belongs to a newer class of drugs called azipirones. Buspirone takes longer to produce benefits and may have side effects such as dizziness, headaches, and nausea, but it is less addictive than alprazolam (Xanax). In addition, some doctors claim success in treating anxiety with antidepressants, especially SSRIs.

Does Stress Cause Diabetes?
Patients sometimes ask their doctors if living a chaotic, overscheduled lifestyle caused them to develop diabetes. While there is no proof that stress causes the disease, it sure doesn't help those who have it. Stress hormones allow the body to respond to a crisis or threat -- real or imagined -- by preparing it to fight or flee. One critical role of stress hormones is to release glucose so that muscle cells have a ready source of energy.

An occasional spike in blood sugar is no big deal for most people, but chronic stress caused by financial problems, a failing marriage, or other ongoing woes could lead to persistent elevated glucose levels. What's more, stress can distract you from important priorities, such as monitoring blood sugar and exercising, and encourage unhealthy behaviors, like overeating high-calorie comfort foods. The message is clear: High levels of stress can increase your risk for diabetes complications, so find a way to chill out when life boils over. 

For more information on diabetes and to identify symptoms, check out these links:

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.