Depressed.



On 01/26/2004 10:10 AM, Marie Maly wrote:
> "hemyd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
[snip]
> Hi Henry.
[snip]
> However, too many times it just seems that relaying whatever is the cause of the misery just opens
> a flood gate, and the one turned to for comfort or support uses the opportunity to vent(?) an old
> or ongoing painful experience of their own.
>
>
> Marie, Caretaker
I'm a newbie to the newsgroup, and I've read several of the posts, but I like this one the best.
Like others, I've been depressed for years and thought to myself, "I've got a lot to be thankful
for, what excuse do I have for being depressed?" It didn't help.

I'm a bit surprised no one mentioned the prevalence of depression in diabetics, or maybe I missed
it. I base this conclusion on what my counselor say and on searching the web. One place which seems
related is:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depdiabetes.cfm

Maybe it has something to do with keeping bs level. I know that HA1C around 5 or 6 (?) is the
standard, but this could be achieved with with fairly (although not widely )fluctuating bs's. Maybe
the depression is somehow related to widely or fairly widely fluctuating bs's. I know I get down
when my bs is low. When I was diagnosed, sometimes during a reaction, I got giddy. It seems
reasonable that bs would have some effect on mood. Anybody heard any science on this?
 
G'day Marie,

I hope I am not accused of venting my own misery onto anyone. I was simply narrating the things that
depressed me initially on dignosis, and how to refute them. The intial poster will invariably come
upon all sorts of comments and statistics that will make him think that "all is lost". Given a
little reasoning time, he will be able to rationalise that many of those comments and statistics do
not apply to him - definitely not if he knuckles down and manages his disease as he has surely
started. One of the threads in this newsgroup (I think I read it within days of being diagnosed)
referred to an "average life span" of a type II diabetic. It really truly depressed me big time. Woe
is me, I thought - I only have so much time to live, I thought, I'll lose my toes, my kidneys, I'll
go blind, etc. etc. Like the original poster, I though of chucking it in. But then I rationalised -
that so-called "average lifespan" refers to any Type II diabetic, ranging from a 40 year old whose
HbA1c is (as in the case of the original poster) below 6, who is fit and who has modified his
lifestyle, right through to most diabetics I know who gain weight, indulge, don't excercise, living
in blissful ignorance of what can happen to them. And then there are the 80 year olds with diabetes
- are they part of that "average"?

In my case I needed the shock treatment I got from this newsgroup. It provided the necessary
motivation for me.

Actually, you are probably not accusing me of promoting my misery, but on these "well meaning"
family and friends. yes, that has always baffled me. In my early days after diagnosis, I was
submerged in tales of dead diabetic relatives and lost toes and feet. It made me feel r-e-a-l good!
But then there were a few people - usually people I hardly knew - who would pass on the story of
Aunt this or Uncle that, who had diabetes for 40 years or more, and who lived to a ripe old age,
with no complications at all, eventually dying for unrelated reasons. These reports would give me
one big boost! Yes, there are these "friends" who, when you say you bought something, will tell you
you could have purchased it cheaper somewhere else; if you sold something, you could have got more
for it.... etc. etc. You sometimes need to reassess who your real friends are. Times of crisis
usually make that apparent.....

Henry

"Marie Maly" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:qZaRb.6$EW.1@okepread02...
>
> "hemyd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > When I was diagnosed I felt like that myslef. My answer to you is to use your depression to
> > motivate you to attack this disease with everything you've got at your disposal. Modify your
> > lifestyle. Diet. Excercise.
More
> > excercise. Keep on monitoring your vitals - eyes, HbA1c, kidneys,
lipids,
> > feet, etc. There are few diseases where you have as much control over
the
> > outcome as you have with diabetes. As in my case, many people here have reported that since
> > making life changes - losing weight, excercising,
etc,
> > they've been fitter and healthier than ever before.
> >
> > Sadly, you'll have all sorts of "friends" and family give you narratives
> of
> > diabetics losing their toes and dying of all sorts of things. Well,
that's
> > friends for you! Laugh at them. Keep your HbA1c low, and you'll probably outlive them all.
> >
> > Keep on reading and posting in this newsgroup. Learn as much as you can about your disease.
> >
> > Henry
> >
>
>
> Hi Henry.
>
> You touched on somethig that has always baffled me......
>
> Some folks just don't seem able to resist telling a person who is in
misery
> about things even more miserable.
>
> I suppose it could be chalked up to "things could be worse" or "if you
don't
> get a handle on things this could be you."
>
> However, too many times it just seems that relaying whatever is the cause
of
> the misery just opens a flood gate, and the one turned to for comfort or support uses the
> opportunity to vent(?) an old or ongoing painful
experience
> of their own.
>
>
> Marie, Caretaker Mom T2
 
"hemyd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> G'day Marie,
>
> I hope I am not accused of venting my own misery onto anyone. I was simply narrating the things
> that depressed me initially on dignosis, and how to refute them. The intial poster will invariably
> come upon all sorts of comments and statistics that will make him think that "all is lost". Given
a
> little reasoning time, he will be able to rationalise that many of those comments and statistics
> do not apply to him - definitely not if he
knuckles
> down and manages his disease as he has surely started. One of the threads
in
> this newsgroup (I think I read it within days of being diagnosed) referred to an "average life
> span" of a type II diabetic. It really truly depressed me big time. Woe is me, I thought - I only
> have so much time to live, I thought, I'll lose my toes, my kidneys, I'll go blind, etc. etc. Like
> the original poster, I though of chucking it in. But then I rationalised -
that
> so-called "average lifespan" refers to any Type II diabetic, ranging from
a
> 40 year old whose HbA1c is (as in the case of the original poster) below
6,
> who is fit and who has modified his lifestyle, right through to most diabetics I know who gain
> weight, indulge, don't excercise, living in blissful ignorance of what can happen to them. And
> then there are the 80 year olds with diabetes - are they part of that "average"?
>
> In my case I needed the shock treatment I got from this newsgroup. It provided the necessary
> motivation for me.
>
> Actually, you are probably not accusing me of promoting my misery, but on these "well meaning"
> family and friends. yes, that has always baffled me.
In
> my early days after diagnosis, I was submerged in tales of dead diabetic relatives and lost toes
> and feet. It made me feel r-e-a-l good! But then there were a few people - usually people I hardly
> knew - who would pass on the story of Aunt this or Uncle that, who had diabetes for 40 years or
more,
> and who lived to a ripe old age, with no complications at all, eventually dying for unrelated
> reasons. These reports would give me one big boost!
Yes,
> there are these "friends" who, when you say you bought something, will
tell
> you you could have purchased it cheaper somewhere else; if you sold something, you could have got
> more for it.... etc. etc. You sometimes need to reassess who your real friends are. Times of
> crisis usually make that apparent.....
>
> Henry

Hi Henry.

Reading your first paragraph I began composing an appology in my head........

By the time I got to the end of your post, I realized that you did indeed know where I was coming
from...and had done a much better job of distinguishing honest information (that isn't necessarily
cheerful) from the pissing contest some folks can't seem to resist attempting to engage in.

I agree that sometimes you have to reassess who your real friends are..,especially in times
of crisis.

But what about family?

Well, I guess that everybody has at least one family member that experience has taught us that they
will only promote misery.

I have an aunt who upon hearing of anyone's misery not matter how small or big and terrible responds
with "That's nothing, let me tell you about......."

If the "misery promotor" brings up the subject in casual conversation because they have heard it
through the lightening fast family grape vine, I just tell them it isn't anything I want to talk
about. If they are willing (able?) to take the hint, that is fine. If they continue to attempt a
conversation about the subject, I excuse myself from the conversation as politely as possible.

Yes, there are some wounded feelings from time to time. In some cases it is just unavoidable.

Marie, Caretaker Mom T2
 
Here are some articles that you may find helpful.

Attitude is Everything! http://diabeticgourmet.com/articles/109.shtml

Depression Worsens Outcome in Diabetes http://www.diabeticgourmet.com/tdn/news/262.shtml

Diabetes and Psychosocial Problems http://diabeticgourmet.com/articles/9.shtml

Also, please join us at the Type 2 Diabetes forum at the Diabetic Gourmet Magazine for lively
discussion by people that are feeling very much like you are and may be experiencing the same
issues. It really helps to talk about these things.

http://www.diabeticgourmet.com/forum/type2/

Cheer up,

Stella

"ojatt" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hi. I was diagnosed with type 2 in Jun 03. Did a Hba1C in Sept - 6.9. Did another recently last
> week - 5.4. I am not on meds but on diet only. I should be happy with my recent test, but it seems
> some people I know around me have passed on due to complications related with diabetes. I have a
> bad feeling that I could go the same way as they do. I am 39. Some say that I have still many
> years to live. But, I don't want
to
> spend years suffering a slow painful death. I don't want to be a burden. Sometimes I feel my
> efforts is pointless. Maybe its better to just end it
as
> soon as possible. I have never felt like this in my life. Its no use to carry on.
 
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