Psychology & Diabetes

Diabetes and psychology haven't been commonly acknowledged as complimentary fields by neither diabetics nor the medical professionals treating them. But that's been changing over the course of the last decade with more doctors realizing the use of psychologists for improving the everyday life of a diabetic patient. Psychologists can play a vital role in helping people deal with the diabetes and make them more comfortable with the prescribed precautions.

About Diabetes

• To comprehend how psychologists get patients to deal with diabetes, it is important to understand the condition and how it requires patients to change their behavior.

  The prevalent form of diabetes globally, experienced by over 85 percent of diabetics is Type 2 diabetes in which the body needs to cope with a resistance to, or deficiency of, insulin. Insulin is naturally produced in the human body and is responsible for the breakdown of glucose in the blood. The common causes include obesity caused by inactivity and/or unhealthy diets.

  To cope with diabetes, patients need to avoid long periods with high blood glucose levels and also periods with low blood glucose levels. To balance and maintain these two extremes, a diabetic needs to monitor and regulate their blood sugar glucose levels persistently and thus need to follow a prescribed routine for most of their life post-diagnosis.

Considerations

• Despite the common belief that the life of a diabetic isn't all that difficult, only those experienced with the condition realize the daily difficulties associated with the constant monitoring of their diet and health.

  The life of a diabetic involves following a daily routine monitoring insulin usage and consuming medication along with following a specific diet and exercise. This requires patience and motivation on part of the patient. Such a complicated course of self-care behavior needs to be enforced strictly and psychologists can assist diabetics in sticking to the regimen.

Significance & Benefits

• Psychologists play a valuable role in helping patients and the people around them to understand the social implications of diabetes. Psychologists, who are well trained in understanding and modifying behavior are also equipped to perceive the problems experienced by a diabetic within the stringent regime of self-care. Diabetes is viewed as an everyday hassle by both--patients and family members. Diabetics are prone to feeling depressed, experience anxiety and frustration over the restrictive lifestyle imposed by this condition. Psychological intervention can often help them upon initial diagnosis and onwards, in adjusting to their new lifestyle with the best possible outlook.

Methods

• Therapists can help diabetics by catering for their specific issues, as well as looking after the more generic problems associated with diabetes. Common therapies include behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, realistic therapy and eclectic approach. These therapies are also known to help in understanding any inappropriate behavior, as well as assisting to modify behavior required for better diabetes management.

Potential

• Recent research studies have evaluated the role of psychologists and psychological interventions in diabetic care. Behavior change interventions and behavior therapy have shown to be helpful to improve the ability of diabetics to manage stress. Reducing depression and anxiety is now established as essential to ensure a better quality of life while living with diabetes; similarly, psychological intervention helps diabetics stay motivated to maintain their health.