Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 14, 2017 News
– Association’s youth arm helping to tackle challenge
It is said that depression is two to three times more common in people with diabetes. In fact it has been deduced that while three in 10 diabetics suffer from depression, one in 10 have been known to suffer severe depression.
An even more interesting fact is that Type One diabetics are even more prone to suffering from depression. Research suggests that many type one patients lack blood sugar control, which can cause symptoms of depression, thus it is particularly important for them to work closely with medical personnel to avert, as far as possible, such complications.
It was in recognition of this fact the Guyana Diabetic Association has been working to raise awareness with this in mind.
This is according to President of the Association, Ms. Glynis Alonzo-Beaton. As part of its commemoration of World Health Day recently, this notion was especially emphasized, Alonzo-Beaton said.
“For World Health Day we just added let’s talk depression to diabetes, because we realised that type ones suffer from depression more and they need a support group,” said the Diabetic Association President.
Type One Diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes [since it occurs in younger individuals] or insulin diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. The lack of insulin results in high blood sugar levels.
Moreover, the Association is looking to advance its sensitisation efforts for Type Ones through its youth arm – the Young Leaders.
Among the young diabetics who understand the connection between diabetes and depression is Martin King. King, currently a member of the Youth Leaders, first learnt that he was a diabetic when he was 15 years old.
At the time he was a student of the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School. During an interview with this publication he recalled, “I started experiencing some of the symptoms like hunger, excessive thirst and tiredness. I just know something was wrong but I just didn’t know what it was.”
But according to King, it wasn’t until he saw a television programme that suggested that all of his symptoms were synonymous with diabetes. “I immediately said ‘I have this’…I told my mom and she took me to the hospital and I told them I think I have diabetes, although I really didn’t understand much about it,” recalled King.
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