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Preventing Depression and Major Health Complications

Mon, 31 Mar 2014

Control over your mental state can help combat many things, both mental and physiological, and could save your kidneys, particularly if you are a diabetic.

A new study has found links between depression in diabetics and the development of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) as a result of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage).

Diabetics can suffer with nephropathy as a result of having high blood glucose levels. The kidneys compensate the high levels by removing the glucose from the bloodstream, but they are damaged in the process.

It was found that of 3900 patients who participated in the study, 448 patients had 'major' depression, and their chances of developing ESRD was increased by 85%.

The links between depression and nephropathy indicate how important it is for people with chronic illnesses, especially ones like diabetes where the treatment is self-managed, to take care of their mental wellbeing.

One of the complications of diabetes is known as diabetic burnout, where the patient becomes so stressed, tired and fed up with their constant treatment, that they just give up and let their blood sugars rise.

Mindfulness has been proved to reduce stress and depression, and can help people cope with constant stresses, such as diabetes treatment. The Washington University study hasn't found reasons for the correlation between ESRD and depression, but burnout and a neglect of treatment are possible explanations.

Mindfulness courses can help to give you the tools to develop a peace of mind that will help you prevent these negative states of mind.
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