What Are the Emotional and Physical Effects of Diabetes?

Emotional Effects of Diabetes

As with many other diseases, a patient may feel isolated and alone when first diagnosed with diabetes. Not only is the disease itself complicated and difficult to understand, but it also demands that the person with diabetes pay a tremendous amount of attention to lifestyle and treatment regimens. No other disease requires as much patient involvement, or as much cooperation with doctors, nurses and dietitians. On a day-to-day basis, the person with diabetes becomes his or her own doctor by testing blood glucose levels and adjusting diet and medications to gain the best control possible. It can be a grueling and tiring responsibility that may at times become overwhelming, especially when things are not going well. To complicate matters further, patients may feel powerless to prevent the complications of the disease. All of these feelings are understandable, and even normal.

If you have diabetes, however, it is critical to understand that you are not alone in your efforts. Though it is a disease that must be taken seriously and managed with diligence, diabetes need not have the same impact on your life and health as it had on people in the past. With education, motivation and support from your healthcare team and from your friends and family, many of the physical and emotional effects of diabetes can be delayed or avoided altogether. And researchers are continuing to develop better medications for diabetes and new products that will help make diabetic care easier.

Stress has a unique impact on a diabetic person. During periods of physical, mental or emotional stress, blood glucose levels can become markedly elevated. This can happen whether the life events are positive — for instance, being promoted — or negative– for example, experiencing marital or financial difficulties. Stress may cause a diabetic to be distracted from his or her diligent diabetes maintenance routine, thereby making the problem worse. Clearly, it is important that people with diabetes try to identify the stresses in their lives and make an effort to handle them effectively. Methods of countering stress include:

• Maintaining a positive outlook.
• Keeping a regular physical exercise routine.
• Joining a support group for people with diabetes.
• Relaxing with meditation, prayer or breathing exercises.
• Discussing stressful issues with a friend, family member or other good listener.

Physical Effects of Diabetes

Diabetes affects the body in several ways. First, it affects an individual’s nutritional state. A person with poorly controlled diabetes is unable to store and metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins in a normal and healthy fashion. After meals, nutrients stay in the bloodstream longer than they should and are not available to tissues for energy, growth or repair. This is a particular problem for those with type 1 diabetes because of the very low insulin levels in the blood. For those with type 2 diabetes, the nutrients may eventually get into the tissues since some insulin is available, but only because of the very high levels of sugars and fats present in the blood.

This buildup of nutrients in the blood causes a loss of glucose, water and minerals through the kidneys and into the urine. In effect, people with diabetes do not get the full benefit of the food they eat because many of the nutrients either stay in the bloodstream or are lost in the urine. This poor nutritional state leads to exhaustion and a general feeling of poor health. Although some people with diabetes claim to feel more comfortable when their blood glucose levels are high, the great majority of patients feel best with blood glucose values below 150 mg/dl, especially if this level of control is maintained for several days.

Another effect of diabetes involves the immune system, which normally protects an individual from bacteria, viruses and other types of infections. In the person with diabetes who has high blood glucose values, the white blood cells of the immune system function poorly. Furthermore, all of the body’s fluids have higher levels of sugar and nutrients, which make them more inviting places for bacteria to grow and multiply. For this reason, patients with poorly controlled diabetes have a higher risk of infection compared to individuals without diabetes, and often the infections are more serious and harder to cure with antibiotics. Urinary tract and vaginal infections are particularly common. The immune system is also very important for skin healing after an injury. With poorly controlled diabetes, healing is slowed and skin ulcers may appear and persist, particularly on the feet. These run a high risk of becoming infected.

The most challenging and serious effects of diabetes are seen in the nerves, kidneys, heart and other tissues. Although these problems may not manifest themselves for many years, they cause most of the suffering that occurs with diabetes. It is now clear that the high level of glucose, and perhaps other nutrients, causes damage to both the small and large blood vessels of the body. Over the years this damage builds up and becomes impossible to reverse.

The smallest blood vessels, which carry nutrients to the single cells of the body, are the most prone to injury from diabetes. The support structures that surround these blood vessels may weaken, causing them to leak. The vessels also become more prone to clogging. These small vessels are particularly important to the eyes, nerves and kidneys. In the portion of the eye called the retina, fluid or blood may leak from damaged vessels. Eventually, scar tissue may form. All of these problems may cause impaired vision and can result in blindness.

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The information contained in or made available through This Site cannot replace or substitute for the services of trained professionals in the medical field. We do not recommend any treatment, drug, food or supplement. You should regularly consult a doctor in all matters relating to physical or mental health, particularly concerning any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.