As we reported earlier today, if you’re diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, your risk for depression is increased by 52 percent:

“A diagnosis of diabetes or the burden of dealing with its complications might also lead to symptoms of depression,” the authors write.

But here’s the kicker — the increased risk of depression isn’t from the diabetes itself. It is instead from the treatment of the diabetes!

The researchers found that treated type 2 diabetes was associated with a 52 percent higher risk of developing elevated depressive symptoms. Individuals with untreated type 2 diabetes were not at increased risk.

People with untreated diabetes don’t suffer from a higher risk of depression. So here’s a perfect example of where health professionals treat the obvious disease problem (diabetes), but often are unaware they are creating a less obvious mental health problem (depression).

Of course, untreated depression is just as serious a problem as untreated diabetes. Hopefully this research will open the eyes of professionals and newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetics into the importance of following up with mental health and depression evaluations.

Read the full article: Increased Risk of Depression for Diabetics

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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  Diabetes + Treatment = Depression by diabetes.MEDtrials.info (6/18/2008)

    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 18 Jun 2008
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