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Type one diabetics more prone to depression
– Association’s youth arm helping to tackle challenge
It is said that depression is two to three times more common in people with diabetes. In fact it has been deduced that while three in 10 diabetics suffer from depression, one in 10 have been known to suffer severe depression.
Ms Glynis Alonzo-Beaton showcases the diabetes handbook.
An even more interesting fact is that Type One diabetics are even more prone to suffering from depression. Research suggests that many type one patients lack blood sugar control, which can cause symptoms of depression, thus it is particularly important for them to work closely with medical personnel to avert, as far as possible, such complications.
It was in recognition of this fact the Guyana Diabetic Association has been working to raise awareness with this in mind.
This is according to President of the Association, Ms. Glynis Alonzo-Beaton. As part of its commemoration of World Health Day recently, this notion was especially emphasized, Alonzo-Beaton said.
“For World Health Day we just added let’s talk depression to diabetes, because we realised that type ones suffer from depression more and they need a support group,” said the Diabetic Association President.
Type One Diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes [since it occurs in younger individuals] or insulin diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. The lack of insulin results in high blood sugar levels.
Moreover, the Association is looking to advance its sensitisation efforts for Type Ones through its youth arm – the Young Leaders.
Among the young diabetics who understand the connection between diabetes and depression is Martin King. King, currently a member of the Youth Leaders, first learnt that he was a diabetic when he was 15 years old.
At the time he was a student of the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School. During an interview with this publication he recalled, “I started experiencing some of the symptoms like hunger, excessive thirst and tiredness. I just know something was wrong but I just didn’t know what it was.”
But according to King, it wasn’t until he saw a television programme that suggested that all of his symptoms were synonymous with diabetes. “I immediately said ‘I have this’…I told my mom and she took me to the hospital and I told them I think I have diabetes, although I really didn’t understand much about it,” recalled King.
Martin King, in the company of two of his colleagues of the Youth Leaders group [Miss Keziah Nestor and Mallissa Kandhai].
Indeed he was diagnosed with the disease and was enlightened to the fact that it was a chronic disease, meaning that it would remain with him for life. “I couldn’t understand and accept that this was never going to go away. I thought I would have died…I was in a depressed state and I thought that this was it for me,” he related.
He soon after joined the Guyana Diabetic Association which turned out to be a crucial lifeline.
“I met the President [Ms. Alonzo Beaton] and she told me she had it [diabetes] for 20-plus years, and I thought to myself if she could do it I can do it too,” said King, as he reflected how “she had always talked to me and explained about this disease.”
Even as he emphasized the importance of the Association, King disclosed that meetings are held every last Wednesday in the month where persons are exposed to important information about diabetes.
“Information is the key to managing the symptoms [of diabetes]. Once you have information you can always know what you have to do…if you are not aware you can never be able to help yourself,” asserted King.
Five years later and King is a key member of the youth arm of the Association with a key focus on helping young people like himself cope with the disease.
“We formed this group [Youth Leaders] last year, in aid of helping type ones to manage their diabetes, and this is just what we have been doing,” he asserted.
According to Alonzo-Beaton it is important that diabetics in general, understand that it is better for them to control their diets.
“Eat small quantities at regular intervals…Don’t go into lunch hungry, don’t go into any meal hungry [because] you are going to eat far more than you are supposed to eat.”
Alonzo-Beaton, in making reference to a pocket book guide which outlines the management of diabetes during the childhood and adolescent years, revealed that “when type ones reach puberty there ought to be a change of insulin. There can be a difference…sometimes the body either ask for more insulin or sometimes ask for less, it just depends on what is happening with that person.”
To share such information, Alonzo-Beaton underscored that the Youth Leaders, guided by the book, will receive training with a view of helping them to better help type ones control their diabetes.
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