WEBINARS
Unpacking Diabetes Distress and Depression
Category Tags:
Speaker:
Dr. Gaurav Mehta, MBS, MSc, FPCPC
Published:
May 27, 2024
Dr. Gaurav Mehta, Medical Director of Psychiatry at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Ontario, will explore diabetes distress and how it is different from depression, the tools used to make a diagnosis, and strategies that can help with managing your mental health.
0:00
[Music]0:07
welcome to the mental health video0:09
series for people living with diabetes0:11
my name is Candace and I'm from diabetes0:13
Canada diabetes distress and depression0:16
may look and feel similar but knowing0:18
how they are different will help you get0:20
the right care in this session we will0:22
explore diabetes distress and how it is0:25
different from depression the tools used0:27
to make a diagnosis and strategies that0:30
can help with managing your mental0:31
health with Dr gav Meta medical director0:35
of Psychiatry at South Lake Regional0:37
Health Center in Ontario Dr Meta is also0:40
one of the co-authors of the 20230:43
revision of the mental health chapter in0:45
diabetes Canada's clinical practice0:47
guidelines he's the founder of diabetes0:49
mental health clinic at South Lake0:51
Regional Health Center and served as an0:54
adviser for the mental health and0:56
diabetes training program a partnership0:58
between diabetes Canada and JDRF over to1:01
you Dr Meta thank you so much for your1:04
kind introduction in this presentation1:07
we'll give an overview of how the1:11
diabetes impacts the mental1:13
health of a person living with diabetes1:17
we will talk about the diabetes distress1:20
concept and the concept of major1:22
depressive disorder and what are the1:25
differences between them we'll talk1:27
about the screening tools avail aailable1:30
for diabetes distress as well as major1:33
depressive1:34
disorder we'll talk about the various1:36
modalities of Treatment available for1:39
these conditions whether it's talking1:42
therapy or medication or1:46
both living with diabetes is not easy1:49
for a person with diabetes as the1:52
diagnosis and the management of diabetes1:55
can be a significant life stressor for1:57
people and their families as it may be2:01
associated with challenges regarding the2:03
acceptance of the illness and the2:05
participation in the treatment2:08
addressing concerns regarding illness2:09
beliefs and participation in treatment2:12
recommendations can be helpful the lived2:15
experience of diabetes is often2:17
associated with the struggles specific2:19
to the illness and it can lead to2:21
significant concerns specifically2:23
diabetes distress the stigma2:26
perpetuation reluctance to start insulin2:30
recommended by Healthcare professionals2:32
and the persistent fear of hypoglycemic2:35
episodes there are wellestablished2:37
psychological reactions when a person is2:40
diagnosed first with2:42
diabetes it can be perception about the2:45
seriousness of the disease a person may2:48
discount the seriousness of diabetes2:50
which is often seen in patients or2:52
people with2:54
diabetes with type two diabetes which2:57
are not having any symptoms or2:58
asymptomatic Di3:00
or a person may become overwhelmed with3:03
the diagnosis which is often seen in3:05
person with diabetes and their families3:07
with type 13:09
diabetes not being able to comprehend3:11
the extent to which the diabetes can be3:14
managed3:15
successfully and the degree of personal3:17
responsibility required for the3:19
management by the person and the3:21
perceived benefits and the barriers to3:23
taking3:24
action professional support to address3:27
these reactions can be helpful in3:29
promoting the self-management of3:31
diabetes stigma associated with diabetes3:34
is3:35
huge weight based stigma is thought to3:39
be of quite value here the perception3:43
and the experience of being3:45
discriminated against due to one's body3:47
weight can be perpetuated by providers3:49
in healthare settings and when present3:52
this can lead to worsening distress3:54
diminished quality of life as well as3:57
decreased self-management of diabetes4:00
behaviors it is recommended that4:02
Healthcare professionals should be aware4:04
of their own biases and should be able4:07
to communicate in non-stigmatizing4:09
language about the weight related issues4:11
and diabetes4:13
management diabetes comes with a4:15
financial burden it is an expensive4:18
illness to live with and to manage4:21
well people living with diabetes should4:24
ask their Healthcare teams for help and4:26
the healthcare professional should4:27
recognize that the key role they play in4:29
in exising financial4:31
supports advocacy and activism are4:34
helpful and often necessary to manage4:37
the cost of people with with4:39
diabetes the cost associated with4:42
diabetes can be direct as well as4:45
indirect so diabetes distress refers to4:48
the negative emotions and the burden of4:51
self-management related to living with4:55
diabetes it describes the disp poeny and4:58
the emotional turmoil specifically5:00
related to people with diabetes in5:03
particular the need for continual5:05
monitoring and treatment persistent5:08
concerns about the complications and the5:11
potential erosion of the personal and5:14
professional relationships which is not5:17
easy it can induce the feelings of loss5:21
of power fear and shame in a person5:25
living with5:27
diabetes it is difficult to manage all5:30
the changes to the routine appointments5:33
or the doctor's appointments or5:35
medication5:39
compliance diabetes distress has5:41
received extensive research over last5:44
decade by Healthcare professionals and5:47
there's a lot of evidence that diabetes5:49
distress is common it can affect5:52
approximately onethird of people living5:54
with5:56
diabetes risk factors for developing5:59
diabetes distress include being younger6:01
being a female having a lower degree of6:04
Education living alone having a higher6:07
BMI or body mass index lower perceived6:12
self-efficacy lower perceived provider6:14
support poor quality of diet greater6:18
perceived impact of glycemic excursions6:21
and the greater number of diabetes6:24
complications a person with type 16:26
diabetes malius has to take6:28
approximately6:30
180 healthare decisions in a day which6:34
is not6:36
easy diabetes is a costly6:40
condition it is associated with6:42
significant direct costs such as6:44
medications diabetes supplies traveling6:47
to Physicians and Allied healthcare6:49
provider appointments food plans6:52
recommended for diabetes it can also be6:55
related with significant indirect costs6:58
such as decrease productivity7:00
management of complications of diabetes7:03
hospitalization related to7:05
diabetes it has been found that7:07
treatment participation in Diabetes Care7:10
is affected by these direct as well as7:12
indirect7:15
costs diabetes comes with a package of7:18
emotions the experience of threat which7:22
can cause feelings of anxiety in a7:24
person the experience of loss which can7:28
cause feelings of sadness or depression7:31
the experience of unfairness which can7:34
invoke feelings of anger in a person7:36
with7:37
diabetes major depressive disorder is a7:41
mental health condition described in the7:44
dsm57:47
TR which consist of either emotional7:50
symptoms such as low mood and reduced7:53
enjoyment of usual7:55
activities vegetative symptoms such as7:58
sleep appetite and energy level changes8:02
behavioral symptoms such as agitation or8:05
slowing of8:06
movements cognitive symptoms such as8:09
poor memory or reduced concentration or8:12
guiled8:13
feelings and thoughts of self harm may8:15
be8:17
seen so the prevalence of clinically8:20
impactful depressive disorders among8:22
people with diabetes is approximately8:25
30% the prevalence of major depressive8:28
disorder is approximately 10% which is8:31
double the overall prevalence in the8:32
general8:33
population it is important to remember8:36
that the risk of developing major8:38
depressive disorder increases the longer8:41
a person has had8:43
diabetes the risk factors for developing8:46
major depressive disorders in8:48
individuals with diabetes8:50
are female sex adolescents or young8:54
adults and older adults lower8:57
socioeconomic status9:00
having few or less social supports9:03
stressful life events instability with9:06
glycemic control particularly the9:09
recurrent hypoglycemic episodes higher9:12
illness burden longer duration of9:15
diabetes and the presence of long-term9:19
complications if a person is9:22
experiencing any symptom of9:24
distress or major depressive disorder or9:27
any health condition9:30
it is recommended to work closely with9:32
your Healthcare team talk about your9:35
symptoms the way you feel and the9:37
emotions share your concerns and discuss9:40
your options for the9:43
treatment screening is of very high9:47
value particularly in diabetes distress9:50
because it can lead to worse9:54
prognosis diabetes distress scale in9:57
type 1 diabetes consists of 28 items and10:01
there's a diabetes dis scale in type two10:04
diabetes which consists of 1710:07
items in type 1 diabetes mtis the10:11
diabetes dist sces considered domains10:14
such as10:15
powerlessness distress management eating10:19
distress negative social perceptions10:22
physician distress and the family or10:25
friends10:26
distress in type two diabetes diabet10:29
ities distress scale consist of10:31
measuring emotional burden physician10:34
related distress regimen related10:37
distress and the interpersonal10:40
distress also paid questionnaire is10:45
validated as well as the type one and10:47
type two diabetes distress10:49
questionnaire for screening of10:52
depression we use phq9 or the patient10:56
healthcare question9 for depression10:58
which consists of nine items it is a11:00
self-report scale which uses rating from11:03
0 to three based on the feelings and the11:05
experiences over the past two11:08
weeks anxiety questionnaire is the gad711:12
which consist of seven11:14
questions they are freely available on11:17
internet and they not cost any11:20
money these scales should be available11:23
with your Healthcare11:24
Providers these are validated tools for11:27
clinical as well as research11:30
purpose they are the screening11:32
instruments and the diagnosis can be11:34
confirmed by the healthc care providers11:37
by doing a detailed assessment following11:39
the screening and they can work with you11:42
closely to treat any condition if11:46
diagnosed11:48
treatment can consist of either11:50
behavioral therapy or medication or both11:55
for treatment of mild to moderate11:58
depression usually behavioral therapy or12:01
treatments are12:03
recommended it may consist of cognitive12:06
behavioral therapy the cognitive12:08
component includes record keeping to12:11
identify distressing automatic12:14
thoughts understanding the link between12:16
the thoughts and the feelings learning12:19
the common thinking errors that mediate12:22
distress like all or nothing thinking12:26
personalization magnification minim12:29
ization analyzing negative thoughts and12:32
promoting more functional ones12:35
identifying basic assumptions about12:38
oneself like unless I'm very successful12:41
my life is not worth living and being12:44
encouraged to adopt healthier ones like12:47
when I'm doing my best I should be proud12:49
of myself the behavior component12:52
includes strategies to help the person12:54
moving like behavioral activation12:57
scheduling Pleasant and and meaningful13:00
events learning assertive and effective13:03
communication skills focusing on the13:06
feelings of Mastery and13:08
accomplishment learning problem solving13:11
strategies exposure to new experiences13:15
shaping behaviors by breaking them down13:17
into smaller steps to develop13:20
skills motivational interviewing is to13:23
establish a change based relationship13:25
that is based on bond task and goal13:28
Alliance13:31
it is to demonstrate the non-judgmental13:33
Curiosity and comfort with13:37
ambivalence it uses the ask listen13:40
summarize invite framework to normalize13:43
the person's experience establish a13:45
collaboration seek the person's ideas13:48
and then ask permission to provide the13:51
ideas acceptance and commitment therapy13:54
focuses on the acceptance on the present13:57
moment experiences and chusing from the13:59
thoughts choosing not to be guided by14:02
present cognition or the scheme of14:04
thoughts commitment to flexibility in14:07
perspectives and determine the committed14:09
action based on14:11
values medications may include14:15
anti-depressants which is uh the most14:18
recommended treatment for major14:20
depressive14:21
disorder the choices can include SSRI14:25
medication or snri medication they work14:27
on various receptors in in the brain14:29
including14:31
serotonin noradrenaline and other14:35
receptors antic psychotic medications14:37
may be used in conditions like14:42
schizophrenia anxiety medications may be14:45
used for short-term management of14:47
anxiety or even long-term management of14:50
anxiety14:52
disorders even panic attacks mood14:55
stabilizer are used in conditions such14:58
as bipolar14:59
disorder sedatives or sleep aids can be15:02
of value stimulants such as medication15:07
for ADHD may be helpful for people who15:09
have coorbit attention deficit15:12
hyperactivity disorder along with15:15
diabetes so the takeaway message is a15:19
person with diabetes should expect to15:21
have feelings and emotions about15:27
diabetes person should be able to15:29
recognize when it is more than the15:31
diabetes15:33
distress ask to be15:35
screened for diabetes distress as well15:38
as major depressive disorder or anxiety15:41
disorder closely work with your15:43
Healthcare team to find out the best15:46
possible help that would work for you15:56
[Music]
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