Diabetes and depression

Mind over matter or physiological fact? This is the dilemma facing the many researchers investigating the link between type 2 diabetes and depression.

In a report published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, individuals treated for type 2 diabetes were at a higher risk-52 percent-of developing symptoms of mild to moderate depression. By comparison, those who went untreated for type 2 showed no increase in depressive tendencies.

While it has been supposed that the increased risk is due to the “psychological stress associated with diabetes management,” the study of over 10,000 individuals suggests that lifestyle factors, including stress, do not fully explain the increase in depressive symptoms.

It has yet to be determined what other factors (if any) affect, let alone play a crucial role, in the link between type 2 diabetes and depression.

So, what can you do to better your odds? Exercise. Being physically active and reducing stress are among the basic Canadian Diabetes Association suggestions for managing type 2 diabetes. While exercise has obvious physical benefits, such as facilitating weight loss and keeping your body healthy, it also causes you to release endorphins, which boost your sense of well-being.

What about you? How do you cope with stress?