Does Diabetes Cause Mental Illness?

I’d have to say: absolutely, it can.

As someone who’s been living with type 1 diabetes since I was 7, I’ve had plenty of time to acclimate to blood sugar readings, dosing, carb-counting, and all the fun that comes with it. (Spoiler: it ain’t easy.)

You can do everything “right”—plan your meals, calculate your insulin, exercise, stay on a schedule—and still get hit with a blood sugar swing.
Maybe your insulin doesn’t absorb like it should. Maybe it overabsorbs. Either way, you’re suddenly high or low, and now your brain’s doing its best impression of a soap opera meltdown.

Sometimes it’s just mood swings. Other times? Full-blown psychosis. Your body’s panicking, your brain’s fogged, and someone you care about casually says, “You should eat something” or “Just take a shot.”
And you know they’re not wrong—but it still stings.
It feels shameful. Like you failed. Like you did the math wrong again.

Stack that on top of hormone imbalance, exhaustion, and the hyper-vigilance of being your own pancreas—and it starts to form little traumas. Over time? They add up.

A doctor once told me that low blood sugar is more dangerous because it causes temporary dementia. But chronic highs? Those come with body aches, brain fog, deep fatigue, depression, and even muscle breakdown.
It’s like your body’s doing a full workout every day—but instead of getting ripped, you’re just… getting skinnier.

But there is a brighter side.

That feeling when your blood sugar stays in range for a full week? Pure bliss.
Or when you’re low and finally get to eat, and it’s like your stomach has no bottom? Euphoria. (Goofy euphoria, but still.)

Your brain might go a little blank during lows (not recommended, but it kinda feels okay). There’s even a weird peace in the chaos sometimes.

Still—having a body that barely holds onto fat doesn’t exactly help with body image. I’m a skinny boy in a dadbod world. Building muscle feels like trying to sculpt marble with a spoon. Possible? Yeah. Easy? Absolutely not.

So does diabetes cause mental illness? Not directly.
But the extremes—the highs, the lows, the shame, the vigilance, the psychosis, the brief euphorias—they shape your mind in ways most people don’t understand.
Mindfulness becomes survival. Awareness of your subconscious becomes essential.

So if you’re a parent of a diabetic:
Give them some grace.
Tell them therapy is okay.
Remind them that taking care of the body includes emotional strength—not just food and exercise.

And speaking of exercise…
If you’ve been stuck in a rut for so long that working out makes you cringe, don’t underestimate the power of a short walk.
Just walking a little every day has pulled me out of some serious emotional lows. It’s grounding. It reboots your rhythm. Sometimes, it’s a miracle in disguise.

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So let me ask you:

💬 If you love someone with diabetes… have they ever eaten you out of house and home during a low? 😅

💭 If you are diabetic… what does your low blood sugar feel like?
Do you get weird thoughts? Emotional waves?
And what has helped you get back up when life knocked you down?

Sometimes, it’s the smallest thing that changes everything.

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And if you’re curious how the emotional side of diabetes shows up in everyday conversations, this post might hit home too.