For some people, managing their blood glucose levels every day in order to live a healthy life can be stressful. This stress can lead to a serious fear of hypoglycemia. About 14% of people with diabetes have generalized anxiety disorder.

What is anxiety?

People who have anxiety may have the feeling that “something is going to go wrong” or “I need to be sure nothing bad is going to happen.” Physical signs of anxiety can include:

• Muscle tension
• Feeling on edge
• Restlessness or irritability
• Sleep disturbance

Beyond generalized anxiety disorders, depression affects up to 3 in 10 people with diabetes. Depression can affect both mental and physical health, making it harder for people with diabetes to take care of themselves and their blood sugar levels.
For more information on anxiety and depression, visit here.

Eye Damage

• High blood sugar levels can cause damage to the retina, causing the blood vessels to swell, leak or close, which stops the movement of blood
• This type of eye damage is called “diabetic retinopathy”, and it reduces or eliminates vision
• Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in Canada, and around 2 million Canadians have some type of diabetic retinopathy

High Blood Pressure

• Having high blood sugar levels puts you at an increased risk of having high blood pressure, which can put additional stress on your body
• High blood pressure can lead to heart disease; people with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease and/or stroke at a young age when compared to people without diabetes

Kidney Disease

• Your kidneys are responsible for removing waste and excess fluid and regulating how much salt or fluid you have in your body
• High blood pressure, in combination with high blood sugar levels, can lead to kidney damage, which may cause them to stop working properly, or stop them working at all
• Up to 50% of people with diabetes will show signs of kidney damage. Managing your diabetes can delay kidney damage, or prevent the loss of kidney function