Diabetic Depresion and Mood swings
Hi my name is Graham, and I don't know if you can relate to this issue but this is what I have discovered... My moods can change so quickly when my BG is high or low and I get quite depressed from time to time. But this is not the only issue, my friends and family don't understand that this happens to me and that I am trying to be in control of my moods.Sometimes I just fail and let them down. It is not that they don't support me, I think it is because they don't go through the same issues as we do and therefor they think, that I am just rood sometimes.It happens so fast that it feels like I am not in control. Can anyone relate to this issue? And maybe give me some guidance?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by MelissaBL on -
I don't deal with the depression you're swinging back and forth from, but I am a witchy, aggressive beast of a woman when my blood sugar is above 180. I can hide my need to rip someone's spine out through their nose among co-workers, but around my husband or my parents or my brother...it's a different story. The fact of the matter is that a high bg can make you hyper-aggressive and a low one can bring on negative side effects as well. If I am high and I jump down my husband's throat about something, he gets upset...but he has learned to respond differently. And so have I. Now instead of biting back, he says, "it's okay. you're alright. just calm down." Strangely enough for me, that does the trick. If we can't escalate it, we can't continue the cycle. I just grumpily apologize and wait for the next chance to strike. *laughs* But you're not alone. All my life, I've learned that, no, it's not okay for me to attack others because of my blood sugar level (just as no, being depressed isn't something you can just excuse and force others to deal with). But since I can't seem to stop it, I have learned how to repair the damage, apologize, and educate. And the people I care about have learned when not to take it personally and how to help me manage those situations. Best of luck, friend.
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Permalink Reply by Graham on -
Thank you Melissa for your response and with me the same I bite my girlfriends head off sometimes as well as my family's. But I know that it will just take time for them to understand and for me to control myself better. Thanx alot for your support.
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Permalink Reply by StiKuLBriX on -
I'm like that... all the time!!! I can feel myself getting angry with friends or family members so i have to walk off and put my headphones in or go for a walk until i have calmed down. I get angry over the smallest things and sometimes i dont even know why i'm angry i just know i really wanna hit something... The depression side of things, i've been sent to a counsellor about that, it did get kinda better, but its not great. I got described as a fizzy bottle a pop an when i have had enough i will just fizz up and its either tears or anger thats fizzin out of me..... I cant give you any kind of guidance as i'm in a dark place, but just so you know, you aint alone with it. StiKuLBriX
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Permalink Reply by Graham on
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Thanx for you reply I can really relate to your behaveour. We just have to stay strong and confident and try to have positive thoughts but hell its tough!!!
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Permalink Reply by Diabolical Diabetic on -
I hear you, Graham. I bit my fiance's head off last night, only to discover I was really low. It's bad enough we deal with diabetes, but when it's compounded by mental health issues, it can be damn near impossible to handle. How long have you been T1? Your family will start picking up on patterns, as will a conscientious significant other, but it'll all take some time to get it figured out. I suggest seeing a therapist. You can't control the thoughts you have, especially when bloodsugar comes into play. But you can learn to pay attention to them, and realize what's happening to you. Good luck, stay strong!
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Permalink Reply by Graham on
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Thanx Coco, I have been T1 for the last 4 years, thank you for your reply. It means alot to me!
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Permalink Reply by christina on -
Hi Graham,
I'm T2 when I'm either high or low I can bite my hubbys head right off..LOL and most times its over the most smallest, stupid things...!! I am still learning when to see the signs before I go and kill him hehehee and then I can just walk away. I have done that a few times and works well for me now I just need to teach my hubby to walk the other way and not follow me..lol
Hope this helps
Cheers
Christina
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Permalink Reply by Graham on
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Thank you Christina, I am so relieved that I am not the only person that reacts this way. But it excuses nothing. I have to work on myself regardless of my diabetes.
Hope you coping fine!!!
Graham
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Permalink Reply by shevon on -
Hi Graham- I know the feeling. Not too long away I thought that this was pretty much my life,the depression really brought me down with just about everything I did. It basically consumed me and I felt so alone.I went to the doc and she gave me "happy tablets". I keep blaming the diabetes that was recking my life,my self esteem was shattered. My relationship was falling apart and I kept thinking it wasn't me-it was my "illness". Since I've tried a new approach- I've read this motivational book and I stopped blaming the world for my situation (there is so much anger) -step by step I'm building my self esteem, I'm trying to be more objective and I appreciate the support of love ones.I know this is no miracle cure,but I'm trying- So hang in there and I hope that you find your peace somewhere!
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Permalink Reply by Graham on
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Thanx Shevon I see your a South African as well, you are the first RSA person Ive met on TU Diabetes. Thank you for your reply!!! I will never give up!
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Permalink Reply by Karen on -
I can relate to the depression and the mood swings. Between the diabetes and the trying to quit smoking I feel like a raving lunatic! Thanksfully I live alone so no one to take it out on but, I just flip over the littlest things most of the time. The other half of the time I shut off the phone, lock the doors and want everyone to leave me alone. I even shut off the answering machine so I don't have to return calls. I wasn't sure if the mood swings was the diabetes, because I am dealing with having it suddenly, or the trying to quit smoking, I think all three though. Somedays I just can't seem to get a handle on it. i keep trying though, just like the smoking, I back slide but keep pushing to quit. Good Luck to you and remember being hard on yourself won't help either, learn to be good to yourself.
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Permalink Reply by Bronagh on -
I can definitely relate to this. I've noticed the same things you've described happening to me, especially in the past few years. The best advice I could give you is to try to work out if there's possibly something else that's bothering you, and maybe your blood sugar levels are just highlighting those feelings rather than being the actual cause of them. That's what I try to do, and although it doesn't always work (I can be the most depressing person when I take a notion lol!), I think it's worth doing it anyway for the times when it maybe brings me back to earth a bit. Good luck!!
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