Treating Depression

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Anchor lead: Depression needs to be treated in those with diabetes, Elizabeth Tracey reports

When depression occurs in those with diabetes, as it often does, especially as someone has had the condition for a long time, what can be done? Sherita Golden, a diabetes expert at Johns Hopkins, describes first steps.

Golden: Depression is caused from biochemical imbalances in the brain. Just like we’re treating a blood pressure and a cholesterol we also need to treat the brain. Treat them with medications for depression which are as effective in people with diabetes as they are in those without. The other thing that’s important is making sure that their glucose is as well controlled as it can be because high glucose or hyperglycemia really can irritate areas of the brain that control mood and cognition. So some of this may be a biological effect of the hypoglycemia.  :31

Golden says cognitive behavioral therapy is also an important component of managing depression and may allow people to go off medications for the condition at some point. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.