Do Diabetic Patients Typically Experience Mood Swings?

Managing diabetes can be particularly stressful. Everyday there could be a different side effect, and these side effects can easily disrupt someone's daily routine. Medically, the highs and lows of blood sugar levels can cause anxiety, confusion, and nervousness.

Patients must constantly be aware of their own symptoms of low or high blood sugar levels,  and when to eat something to raise their blood sugar or  take an insulin injection to lower their blood sugar level. Managing diabetes can get depressing, and you may feel as if you are losing control over your emotions.

Family and friends who do not have diabetes often have a difficult time understanding what is going on, why you stop and prick your finger, and what it means when you can’t eat something wonderful and sugary. It can make you upset when you have to explain your disease to those around you, all the time.

Mood swings and diabetes: It's a lot more common than you think

Always checking your blood sugar and adjusting your diet causes problems to your enjoyment of life. You are always worried that you have eaten too many carbs, or that your sugars are too high or too low.

Blood sugar swings cause changes in your mood. If you are experiencing a hypoglycemic episode, your blood sugar level drops lower than 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), causing you to experience lightheadedness, sweating problems, and disorientation.

On the other hand, high blood sugar levels are higher than 250 mg/dL can cause confusion. You may become angry and combative. Once your blood sugar is back to normal, however, your symptoms will disappear, and you will return to your usual happy self.

Blood sugar swings can also make you do weird and crazy things. A recent study proved that the link between blood sugar levels and relationships problems are indeed a “thing." When you are hungry and confused, you are more hostile and impulsive to others. You lash out, throw things, pound walls, or just shout angry words.

Now, imagine how it feels whenever you are diabetic and hungry. Your blood glucose level is changing quickly, because you are hungry, and you are angry and irritable. Don’t think that people with diabetes are prone to aggression more so than those without the condition, but it does correlate.

It is alarming to experience low blood sugar, but it is also dangerous. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, mental symptoms caused by low blood sugar include:

• Confusion
• Anxiety
• Indecisiveness
• Irritability

High blood sugar problems cause:

• Difficulty thinking clearly and quickly
• Nervousness
• Having low energy or feeling extremely tired.

In case you are wondering if you are alone with these feelings, know that diabetes is connected to a mental health condition known as diabetes distress. It's not uncommon for patients to feel depressed, stressed, and anxious. depression, stress, and anxiety. These feelings may not be severe or prolonged enough for a diagnosis of mental illness, but your quality of life is interrupted.