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Diabetes and mental health: a video

We know that diabetes and mental health is a big issue for many people. We’ve written about diabetes and depression before, and diabetes burnout, but we really wanted to dive deep into diabetes and mental health. So we invited Daniel Sher, clinical psychologist and Type 1 diabetic, to Sweet Life Talks. We gathered questions from our Diabetic South Africans community, and asked Daniel to answer them.

Diabetes and mental health questions

Here are the questions: watch the video below to see Daniel’s helpful answers.

  1. “How do you know if you suffer from anxiety or if it’s just symptoms of sugar highs and lows? The symptoms of the highs and lows seem so similar to anxiety from the heart palpitations to the sweating and feeling disorientated or anti-social.” Kirsten
  2. Diabetes and anxiety – so many people mentioned it.
    “Why do I have anxiety even when I have taken my anxiety meds and my blood sugar level is ok” Lee, Nomzamo, Monique
  3. Is depression and diabetes really common?
    “What’s the most common drug you put diabetics on for depression?” Llewellyn and
    “What depression drug won’t affect me or my diabetes?” Elmarie
  4. Can we talk about the effects of stress on blood sugar?
    “I suspect that stress alone can increase my blood sugar by 50 percent….. is this possible?” Jonathan
  5. What do you do when grief and stress cause high blood sugar?
    “I’m struggling with high sugar levels since my sister’s passing and with the current covid situation at government hospital we not seeing any doctors it’s very frustrating.” Nadene
  6. “Can diabetes lead to madness?” Siphiwe

Sweet Life Talks video: Daniel Sher

Watch psychologist Daniel Sher interviewed by Sweet Life’s Bridget McNulty here.

If you’re struggling with mental health issues, please know that you’re not alone. Join us on Diabetic South Africans to talk about it, or look at this article on how to access public mental health services.

What to read next?

How to help during diabetes burnout:  Diabetes burnout is unavoidable, when you’re living with diabetes. But how can you help during diabetes burnout? What can you offer someone you love who is struggling?

Diabetes distress and burnout what to do about it?: Diabetes distress and burnout are a reality at some stage for everyone living with diabetes. Here’s advice on what to do about it – from a psychologist living with diabetes.

Dealing with diabetes burnout: Dealing with diabetes burnout is complex. There is no “one solution fits all” because the experience isn’t the same for everyone.

Photo by Eric Ward on Unsplash


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Sweet Life is a registered NPO/PBO (220-984) with a single goal: to improve diabetes in South Africa. We are funded by sponsorships and donations from aligned companies and organisations who believe in our work. We only share information that we believe benefits our community. While some of this information is linked to specific brands, it is not an official endorsement of that brand. We believe in empowering people with diabetes to make the best decisions they can, to live a healthy, happy life with diabetes.

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