Can Diabetes Affect Your Mood?

Q: My husband has type 2 diabetes, which is now being controlled by medicine. I find that he is sometimes particularly irritable or even mean, which is very out of character for him. Is this common with type 2 diabetes, or with high or low readings?

— Amanda

A:It is great that you are seeking a better understanding of your husband’s illness. Diabetes is a disease that not only affects individuals but also those close to them. As a result, those who have good family support in the care of their diabetes do much better in managing their illness.

There are a few reasons for behavioral changes like those you see in your husband among people with diabetes. One is the effect of abnormally low glucose levels in the bloodstream. The other reason is depression, which can be triggered by the diagnosis of diabetes, the burden of daily management, and fear of complications.

Low glucose levels can cause symptoms including impaired judgment, anxiety, moodiness, belligerence, fatigue, apathy, confusion, dizziness, blurred vision, and a lack of coordination. I would advise your husband to check his sugar levels at the times when he is irritable. If his mood is indeed due to low glucose levels, the symptoms will improve if he raises his blood sugar, for example, by drinking orange juice or taking glucose tablets. It is also important to consult with his doctor to adjust his medicines or dietary intake.

On the other hand, your husband’s irritability can be a manifestation of depression. Many people with depression are undiagnosed and thus do not receive the necessary counseling and treatment. Also, depression symptoms vary from person to person, which can make it difficult to diagnose. Signs such as lack of sleep, overeating or lack of appetite, poor concentration, and other symptoms help in the diagnosis of depression.

In any case, depressed individuals have difficulty with the demands of daily diabetes care. This turns into a cycle of poor glucose control leading to depression, and depression causing further glucose abnormality.

There are other reasons that can cause behavioral changes like those you describe. Your husband’s doctor might shed better light on these possibilities.