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Yes, parenting teens is tough, but going through adolescence isn’t particularly easy. For teens who happen to suffer from diabetes, adolescence is even harder. With hormonal changes, the growing importance of peer groups, and a greater desire for independence, teenagers with diabetes are more likely to rebel against parental control, which means that there is also going to be conflict about managing diabetes and adhering to the strict routines and practices required to keep the blood glucose levels in check.
While there can be no doubt that this makes your job as a parent incredibly challenging, it’s important that you understand the impact that diabetes has on the mental health and wellbeing of your child.
Why Diabetes Poses A Mental Health Problem For Teens
Diabetes is a difficult condition to live with for people of any age group, which is why adults with diabetes are also more vulnerable to depression and anxiety disorders. The condition is insidious, often presenting no symptoms, but requiring constant monitoring and treatment. It can become overwhelmingly invasive and controlling of your life.
With their increased need for independence and personal growth, teenagers feel the restrictions imposed by diabetes most strongly. Not surprisingly, children and teenagers are vulnerable to depressive and anxiety disorders. Such mental illnesses can spiral out of control as they also interfere with the management of diabetes, making the teen more likely to avoid certain tasks or situations that are required to control diabetes.
Diabetes can also make your child feel different from other teens and can give rise to feelings of isolation. Diabetes management protocols can feel overwhelming and when they are not completely effective it can cause even greater discouragement. This gives rise to feelings of frustration and despair, which can produce strange and counterproductive behaviors. For example, teens may actually start eating more sweets and candy, avoid using insulin injections, and so on.
They may also lie about blood glucose levels and other changes to avoid worrying you or to simply avoid any conflict.
Mental Health Disorders In Diabetic Teens
Research clearly demonstrates that diabetes is a significant risk factor for mental health problems during adolescence. One such study involving youth and young adults with type 1 diabetes found that 42 percent were afflicted with some kind of psychiatric disorder episode at least once. The most common conditions included depressive disorders with a prevalence rate of 26 percent, followed by anxiety disorders with a prevalence rate of 20 percent.
Eating disorders are also a significant problem among adolescents with diabetes, particularly for girls. Teenage girls with type 1 diabetes have been found to be more vulnerable to eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia nervosa, as compared to their healthy peers. In fact, the prevalence rate of eating disorders is believed to be twice as high among teenage diabetic girls as compared to healthy girls, at 10 percent. The risk of eating disorders keeps increasing during adolescence and into young adulthood.
What Can You Do?
As a parent, try to be involved and aware without being invasive and controlling. This can be a tough balance to strike, but is best achieved by maintaining open and clear communication, being supportive, using positive parenting techniques, by using apps and tech to make your teen’s responsibilities lighter, and most importantly by looking out for any warning signs of depression, anxiety disorders, or eating disorders. Instead of confronting your child in such situations, seek help immediately from a psychologist or behavioral therapist who has experience dealing with diabetic children and teens.
