Diabetes is one of the most chronic diseases anyone can face. However, Type 2 Diabetes can be controlled with the right diet, exercise, and oral medication.

Getting word that you have Diabetes mellitus or Type 2 Diabetes might be devastating at first. It’s quite understandable as many people are not familiar with how to live with Type 2 Diabetes. Many people think that Type 2 Diabetes will ruin their entire lives, which is not true at all. In fact, while the diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes is not ideal as you have to deal with blood sugar, blood pressure, blood glucose and so on, you can still live a happy and healthy life if you take the right steps.

Let’s look at Type 2 Diabetes a little bit closer together to help you put your best foot forward when it comes to living your life with your new diagnosis.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

This is a great question and one that many people do not know to ask if they are not familiar with Type 2 Diabetes.

This form of diabetes is often associated with a lack of physical activity, heart disease, and high blood pressure and is an adult-onset form that simply means your blood contains too much glucose. When this happens, it is an indication that your insulin is not being used properly (or at all) and glucose runs rampant in your bloodstream.

Without the proper amount of insulin in your body, glucose can cause many different health conditions that could easily be avoided.

Who is at Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes?

If Type 2 Diabetes is a disease that is seen in adults as they age, you might be wondering who has more of a risk of developing it. We don’t blame you for wanting to know, and we applaud you for getting a head start on your health and recognize any type 2 diabetes symptoms you or your loved ones start to show.

As we age, our body has an increasingly harder time using insulin effectively. While not every adult will develop adult-onset diabetes, some people who are at higher risk than others are:

• Women who had children that weighed over 9 lbs. at birth
• Women who had gestational diabetes while pregnant
• Family history – people whose immediate family members also have Type 2 Diabetes
• Significantly overweight individuals or diabetic patients
• People who do not exercise regularly
• People who have a poor diet with too many refined carbohydrates and sugars
• Older adults (typically in their 50s or above)
• People with issues with their pancreas or kidney disease

These risk factors do not automatically mean that you will develop Type 2 Diabetes, but the risk increases. What this means for you is that if you match any of the above risk factors, you should carefully monitor your blood sugar levels and consult with a doctor to create a preventative plan before things get out of hand.

Some people live with Type 2 Diabetes for years without realizing they even had it. When this happens, diabetes may be too out of control to fully control it. This is extremely dangerous and can cause medical conditions that might have been avoided had the diabetes been addressed sooner.

What Are the Warning Signs of Diabetes?

Another great question is how does one know if they have Type 2 Diabetes? Thanks to research and medical studies, there are a few warning signs you should pay close attention to when looking for signs you may have Type 2 Diabetes:

• A sudden increase of thirst
• Unexplained and sudden weight loss
• Irritability
• Blurred vision
• Frequent urination

Of course, there may be other warning signs of diabetes that your body gives off to alert you of a problem. With every person having different body makeup, it is impossible to tell which warning signs are certain. If you experience any of the above-mentioned warning signs, consult your doctor immediately.

Gender Does Make a Difference!

So many people want to believe that men and women react the same to different medical conditions, but this is not true. Type 2 Diabetes is one of those health conditions that responds differently based on a person’s gender.

Women may find that they suffer from frequent vaginal yeast infections or thrush, urinary tract infections, or painful sex, known as polycystic ovary syndrome (POS).

Men may experience low testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction, or a decrease in their sex drive.

Both men and women share the diabetes symptoms stated above, and it should be noted when more than one occurs at the same time.

How Do I Treat My Type 2 Diabetes?

Finding the right treatment for you may be more difficult than it is for others. That’s because the right type of treatment for you might not be right for someone else.

Some easy ways to manage your Type 2 Diabetes by yourself include:

• Drink enough water and stay as hydrated as possible
• Eat a healthy diet (there is no prescribed diet for people with diabetes except to avoid refined carbohydrates and excessive amounts of sugar)
• Exercise daily to keep your blood flowing
• Regularly check your blood sugar levels to ensure you’re taking the right medication

If doing these things on your own does not work, there are other treatments you can try.

Medications including Januvia

This may be the most no-brainer answer for helping manage your Type 2 Diabetes, but it is important to mention. We believe strongly in Januvia, which is a Type 2 Diabetes drug that works in conjunction with other diabetes medications to control high blood sugar levels in the body. When used in combination with healthy eating and regular exercise, the body recognizes all of the positive efforts and, in turn, maintains a healthy level of glucose in the bloodstream on a consistent basis. Januvia works to inhibit detrimental enzymes that, when combined with other treatments, helps people with type 2 diabetes have weaker symptoms and significantly improve their life. Be sure not to take Januvia with type 1 diabetes and only take amounts that are prescribed by your doctor.

Insulin

Sometimes, neither medications nor home treatment plans can give your body what it needs in order to live a happy and healthy life. If this is the case, insulin can be prescribed. It is highly unlikely that a person who has Type 2 Diabetes will never need an insulin pump or insulin injections. Therefore, it is important to keep your doctor up to date on all of your medical happenings so they can understand your lifestyle and needs better. Insulin is highly effective but requires the right treatment plan to be put into place first before being used.

Type 2 Diabetes does not have to be a devastating blow to your life. With the right help (as listed above), you can live your best life yet while managing your blood sugar levels each and every day.

Visiting a doctor for depression should ideally be as normal as attending a physician for the cure of anxiety.

 In today’s society, more and more children and young people are experiencing depression and can affect their health. Sometimes, a major depressive episode can be linked with an anxiety disorder, creating a tough combination. When a person suffers from a mental illness such as depression and/or anxiety, they may also experience other mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and bipolar disorder.

One thing is for sure: mental health issues are becoming more and more common to discuss in an open forum rather than being hidden away in shame. Unfortunately, even though mainstream media recognize mental health issues and support the idea of providing help when needed, visiting a physician to get help for your depression or anxiety may not be as easy.

Younger age groups are seeing a rise in mental health disorders, which leads to a greater need for normalcy of treatment of mental health disorders. When children feel comfortable discussing their issues, treatment and prevention become easier.

Depression is Now Becoming More Evident in the Early Age Group

Know the Difference

 When you’re not familiar with the differences between depression and anxiety, it may be easy to confuse the two disorders. This can make treatment of children more difficult as each of the mental health disorders require specific therapy for effectiveness and improve their health.

Depression

A child suffering from depression can cause physical and behavioral change. If these changes are not recognized and treated quickly, the depression could spiral out of control into something much worse and affect their health.

If you or a child you know experiences any of the following symptoms for more than a few days or weeks at a time with no end in sight, you should seek medical help immediately:

• Feeling low and/or sad
• Insomnia
• Oversleeping
• Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
• Unexplained decrease or increase in appetite
• A significant reduction in energy or feeling fatigued constantly
• Digestion issues such as pain, cramps, or aches
• Inability to concentrate or make decisions
• Difficulty remembering
• Suicidal thoughts
• An obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Mood disorders
• Eating disorders
• Many other problems

However, there are some emotional symptoms that may occur which do not manifest themselves in physical symptoms:

• Anxiety or emptiness
• Irritability
• Irrational anger
• Increased thoughts of suicide or death
• Feelings of worthlessness or guiltiness
• Loss of interest in things you found interesting in the past

Anxiety

 While many people think depression and anxiety are pretty much the same, the issue is that they are quite different.

Anxiety gives a person irrational fear and worries over things that they typically cannot control. Constant stress can cause debilitating effects that leave a person unable to do much when plagued with anxiety. A person may know that their thoughts and feelings are irrational, but they simply cannot force themselves to stop having these irrational fears.

Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder that pop up in physical form are:

• Fatigue
• Grinding of the teeth or clenching of the jaw
• Insomnia or difficulty falling asleep
• Increased heart rate
• Difficulty remembering or concentrating on tasks

Physical symptoms are not the only way anxiety manifests itself in a person. Emotional symptoms include:

• Panic
• Restlessness
• Unexplained and/or sudden irritability

Talking to Your Doctor

 Finding a physician that takes your mental health concerns seriously may be more difficult than you anticipated. However, seeing the right doctor to get the treatment you need is extremely important. If you don’t, you may find that other mental health disorders are exacerbated or heightened such as schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and bipolar disorder.

When you do talk to your doctor, be sure to discuss the following to ensure that you receive the proper care:

1. Not Feeling Like Yourself

It may seem like an uncomfortable conversation to have with your doctor, but it is an important conversation to have. This is a very common symptom to have when suffering from depression and/or anxiety. If your doctor knows that you don’t feel like your normal self, they will know the right questions to ask to figure out what’s really going on with your mental health.

2. Difficulty Sleeping

There may be various reasons for having difficulty sleeping, but doctors are trained to figure out what the actual cause of the sleeplessness is. Because difficulty sleeping is a characteristic of both depression and anxiety, it is important to mention to your doctor right away. There are medications that can help solve this issue or other treatment plans to help alleviate the deep-rooted problem.

3. Unexplained Emotional Changes

Many people who suffer from depression and/or anxiety report feeling sudden emotional changes and/or a loss of interest in things that used to excite them. This is something that you should definitely bring up to your doctor as it could be a sign of depression or anxiety. When your brain experiences chemical changes that can lead to depression and anxiety disorders, these sudden emotional changes can occur. Your doctor will know what to do if this is the case.

All of these symptoms are cause for concern for your doctor. When they are alerted to these changes in your mental health, they can help you figure out a treatment plan that will effectively assist to alleviate the issues you’re facing.

Finding the Right Treatment Plan

 As stated above, depression and anxiety disorders are quite different. Because they affect a person’s mental health in different ways, the treatment plans should be uniquely tailored to the needs of the mental health concern. In some cases, medication like Wellbutrin XL can make all of the difference between functioning normally and not. Other times, a person will need prolonged treatments and care in combination with medication.

Bipolar disorders can also cause symptoms of depression to arise. This is important to keep in mind when seeking treatment as a bipolar disorder does require specific treatment plans that may differ from depression alone.

Depression and Anxiety Treatment Plans

 Therapy and medications are two of the most common treatments for depression in today’s society. While there are other more holistic approaches, you can take, medical professionals that you will see in a doctor’s office will typically prescribe either therapy or medication (and sometimes a combination of both).

Therapy is a great solution for those who want to work on rewiring their thought processes. There are different types of treatment you can go to for depression. Your doctor will be able to refer to the right specialist to get you the right help you need.

A Hands-on Approach using Wellbutrin XL

Medications such as antidepressants or inhibitors can help alleviate the symptoms of depression. With medications, your brain’s chemical balance is restored which allows your mental health to return to a state of normalcy.

Some medications, such as Wellbutrin XL, can help fight off the effects of depression. This oral medication is used to improve your mood and overall feelings by helping to restore the chemical balance in your brain. Wellbutrin XL has also been proven to help with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which plagues hundreds of thousands of people in geographical areas where the sun doesn’t often shine during the colder months.

While depression and anxiety have very similar treatment plans, the right type of treatment will be determined by your primary care physician and tailored to your specific needs.

Tags: Mental health, Mental health disorders, Mental illness