Diabetes and other Physical Conditions and Mental Health

Long-term physical conditions such as diabetes, arthritis or asthma can have a significant impact on your mental health.

Having a physical condition may affect many areas of your life, including your relationships, your work, your finances and your sense of stability in general. Anxiety and stress are two experiences our patients bring and left untreated impacts can include social isolation, low self-esteem and discrimination. 

When dealing with pain, treatments or tests every day you may feel tired, frustrated, stressed or worried about your future. All of these things can make you more likely to develop a mental health problem such as anxiety and depression. The combination of physical and mental health problems can then make it harder for you to cope with life in general.

Diabetes can increase the risk of a number of health complications. People with diabetes face one of the most psychologically demanding chronic conditions and as it is often comorbid with depression. As a result of their depression, people can find it difficult to manage their condition. 

Therefore, in the first stages we specifically target symptoms of depression and when these are improved, we work to improve  diabetes self-management. Our approach includes being able to offer the CBT model to tackle symptoms of depression and improve diabetes management.

Therapists Specialising in Diabetes and other Physical Conditions and Mental Health:

Dr. Anastasios Toumpanakis