Behavioral effects of PTSD on diabetes | Mental disorders in patients with diabetes | Summary
Stressful conditions are characterized by increased levels of the hormone’s noradrenaline and adrenaline. Such a hormonal release blocks the functioning of the urinary organs, digestive system, and the production of other important hormones. This is necessary to provide brain activity in a dangerous situation.
The process is accompanied by reactions that a person cannot control:
- Spasm of the blood vessels of the digestive tract and expansion of the vessels of the brain. As a result, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate.
- Muscle tension.
- Lack of oxygen, shortness of breath, deep and noisy breathing (similar to Kussmaul’s respiratory syndrome).
- Maximum psycho-emotional affect.
- Acceleration of metabolic processes and the production of glucose as an energy resource.
With adequate functioning of the body, an excited psychophysical state does not last long, and after a while the level of stress hormones stabilizes. If the level of adrenaline and norepinephrine does not fall, this leads to physiological malfunctions of the heart, blood vessels, central nervous system, brain, endocrine system and other organs.
The regimen of adrenaline non-stop in post-traumatic stress disorder provokes the development of metabolic disorders and hormone imbalance. The result is diabetes.
Behavioral effects of PTSD on diabetes
Psycho-emotional disorders often lead to a change in eating behavior, the development of addictions. With chronic nervous overloads, an unhealthy addiction to alcoholic beverages appears, a strong gastronomic addiction to sweets occurs, and appetite control is lost.
Hence, alcoholism and obesity are the two main causes of type 2 diabetes. Due to alcohol abuse or weight gain, the character of a person changes, his attitude to himself. Changes are manifested in behavior and in conversation:
- causeless irritability, reaching tantrums;
- decreased self-esteem;
- lack of satisfaction from work, entertainment, sex;
- extreme self-doubt, fear of failure;
- self-pity, contrition over the worthlessness of existence and missed opportunities;
- feeling of loneliness and insecurity;
- hypertrophy of the most minor failure or embarrassing situation;
- tearfulness.
Experiencing such negative feelings and emotions, a person tries to compensate for the psychological dissatisfaction with the pleasant physical sensations that tasty food and alcohol bring, which temporarily block problems.
Mental disorders in patients with diabetes
The psychosomatics of diabetes mellitus has clinical manifestations, the intensity and severity of which depend on the type of mental disorder.
Neurasthenia (neurasthenic syndrome)
The condition is characterized by:
- insomnia
- nightmares;
- Dizziness
- anxiety and unreasonable anxiety;
- unstable heart rhythm;
- panic attacks;
- decreased erectile capabilities (in men);
- unmotivated irritability, turning into aggression;
- frequent attacks of cephalalgia (headache).
The nature of the course may be dominated by increased mental and emotional fatigue, or physical weakness.
Depressive asthenia
It manifests itself as a sharp change of mood from unreasonable euphoria to complete indifference to what is happening, restlessness, inability to long mental or physical activity, oppression of libido, moodiness and tearfulness, drowsiness. Perhaps a decrease in memory and attention, the appearance of the initial signs of dementia (acquired dementia).
The most common complications of diabetes are accompanied by changes in mental health.
Hypochondria
Excessive anxiety about one’s own health most often develops in type 2 diabetics with an initial diagnosis:
- anxiety-hypochondriac form with a state of hopelessness, thoughts of imminent death, tearfulness, sleep disturbance, confusion;
- astheno-hypochondria form of the disorder with characteristic apathy, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, irritability and insomnia;
- depressive-hypochondriac form with characteristic anxiety, isolation, loss of interest in surrounding events and people.
- If you do not stabilize the condition in a timely manner, more serious mental disorders (schizophrenia, paranoia, etc.) are possible.
Hysterical personality disorder
More typical for type 1 diabetics (children and adolescents) but is often found among adult patients. The main symptom is a permanent need for attention, in confirmation of one’s own significance, confidence in the love of loved ones. A person experiences a feeling of loneliness, a constant fear of being abandoned, and helplessness in the simplest situations.
Symptoms are:
- easy suggestibility, credulity, exposure;
- impressionability;
- increased emotional reaction to everyday events;
- the desire to be in the spotlight;
- increased libido, provocative sexual behavior;
- over-preoccupation with appearance (hairstyle, clothes, etc.).
With a hysterical disorder in a diabetic, self-esteem is significantly underestimated. Severe manifestations of psychosomatic disorders in a patient with diabetes require the help of a psychotherapist or psychologist. Without professional recommendations, the state of psycho-emotional disorder will develop into a mental pathology.
Summary
With diabetes, not only irreversible pathological changes in the work of internal organs occur. Of great importance is the psycho-emotional state of the patient. Psychosomatics can be both a cause and a consequence of a disease. A diabetic needs constant monitoring by loved ones.
Otherwise, food, alcohol, and nervous breakdowns are unavoidable, exacerbating the course of the disease, accelerating the development of severe diabetic complications. Diabetics with an unstable psyche are difficult to control the disease. Such patients are more susceptible to the development of hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic crises – life-threatening conditions.