Experts call for visibility of the mental health challenges people with diabetes may face

Psychologist and diabetes educator Daniela Rojas asked this Wednesday to bring more attention to the mental health problems that people with diabetes can face and the fact that 75 percent of patients with diabetes experience this type of difficulty as a consequence of the disease.

“We need to understand how complex the relationship is between living with a disease that has such a large emotional component along with a person’s physical health. For a long time, we focused exclusively or very specifically on the physical factor,” Rojas said during the conference. webinar organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the occasion of International Diabetes Day, which is celebrated this Thursday.

In this sense, he explained that mental health and issues such as social stigma can have a big impact on this type of patient, so he called on health professionals to “work together” to find ways to address people’s mental health. these people.

“As we begin to work together as a team, let’s understand that the more health care workers are aware of the signs of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts… The fact that they know how to do this (…), the more we begin teach and learn, the safer we will all be,” he added.

Rojas also called for offering patients simple screening tests that allow them to ask questions, helping them work together with mental health providers and allowing them to be part of associations so that health care providers and people with diabetes “come together” to help each other with treatment. treatment of the disease.

“Let’s give people with diabetes a voice that is as important as policy-making, let’s invite associations and organizations to take part in decision-making to make wellbeing and mental health a priority for people living without diabetes.” just with diabetes, but with all chronic diseases around the world,” he added.

International Diabetes Federation President Professor Peter Schwartz reminded diabetics that they suffer stigma in the workplace, home, school and other environments. “We as health professionals and caregivers often focus only on pharmacotherapy, glucose and biomarkers, and this is a mistake. We must change. We must focus on the needs of people living with diabetes and their well-being. and the quality of life of people living with diabetes,” he said during his speech.

For her part, National Association of Diabetes Educators of Pakistan (NADEP) President Erum Ghafoor, also a diabetic, said that there is still stigma and discrimination against people with diabetes, especially children, due to lack of knowledge about diabetes. an illness that will cause these students to “become socially isolated, their mental health will be compromised and their social acceptability will also be affected.”

This is why he asked to educate the population on this matter, provide training on self-management of this disease, improve access to health care, increase awareness and create support networks so that people’s well-being can be achieved. diabetes.

Diabetic patient Nick Lawton shared his experience of dealing with the disease, highlighting that the biggest challenge is the “extra mental workload” it entails in his daily life, and that in high-pressure situations it is something that can “bring him over the edge.” limit.” Regarding this limitation, International Diabetes Federation director Phil Riehle stated that 80 percent of patients with diabetes have experienced “wasting” from the disease, leading 75 percent of them to stop treatment, which constitutes “wasting” severe. but a very hidden problem.