Managing diabetes can be a daunting task that affects a person’s physical health and their mental well-being. As American Diabetes Month brings attention to this chronic illness, it's important to highlight the need for practical steps that can help your employees handle their long-term condition, meet their mental health needs, and safeguard their total health.

How mental health and diabetes are connected

Mental health influences daily life, affecting choices, thoughts, feelings, stress management, and relationships. Mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, are common in people with diabetes. [1] If left untreated, these mental health issues could hinder how someone takes care of their diabetes.

Managing a long-term condition such as diabetes can be challenging. The stress that often comes with it may lead to poor lifestyle choices, such as overeating, skipping medications, and neglecting glucose monitoring. This could worsen the condition and increase stress, which may impact blood sugar levels. In essence, while physical health plays a major role in managing diabetes, mental health matters, too.

Understanding the high cost of diabetes

In the U.S., 38.4 million people (about twice the population of New York City) have diabetes. Another 97.6 million people have prediabetes, with 81% unaware of their condition. [2] Without lifestyle changes, like making a plan for weight loss and diabetes medication, 15-30% of those with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five years. Given these significant rates, it’s unsurprising that diabetes reaches an estimated $306 billion annually in direct costs. [3] Employers face another $106 billion in indirect diabetes costs due to increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and disease-related disability. [4]

Managing diabetes and mental health

Studies show that people with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have depression, and 20% more likely to have anxiety at some point. [1] Unfortunately, less than half of people with diabetes who have depression get diagnosed and treated. [1] Those who do get treatment, though, usually have positive results.

Your employees can start managing their total health with practical, everyday steps. Small daily changes can have a large impact on stress levels and improve diabetes management over time. Here are four steps you can recommend to your employees.

1. Practice relaxation: Deep breathing can steady the heart rate and calm the nervous system. Pairing this with a repeated mantra or meaningful phrase can help reduce stress in difficult situations.

2. Prioritize health: Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and adequate sleep are essential. These lifestyle changes can reduce stress, improve health, increase energy levels, and enhance insulin efficiency.

3. Plan ahead: Managing work, family life, and diabetes can be challenging. Creating and sticking to a plan may help. Plan meals and write down grocery lists. Schedule auto-delivery of diabetes supplies and take other steps that reduce the need to rely on memory.

4. Seek support: Talk to family, friends, or others with diabetes about diabetes challenges. Sharing experiences can reduce stress and feelings of loneliness. Friends and loved ones can also provide reminders about taking medicines, monitoring blood sugar, and staying active.

Getting mental health help from Accolade

While employees should take practical steps to manage their mental well-being, they don’t have to tackle diabetes alone. The right solutions, including healthcare advocacy and virtual primary and mental health care, can make their lives easier.

Accolade’s whole-person approach ensures equitable healthcare access, offers personalized support, connects members with resources, and helps them navigate the healthcare system. Our Enhanced Rx solution offers one-on-one pharmacy outreach, prescription support, and affordable medication options. Accolade Care provides integrated virtual primary and mental healthcare tailored to each member's needs. And our trusted partners offer programs that can reverse type 2 diabetes without medication or surgery and provide remote monitoring and behavioral coaching. Watch a video to learn how we helped one of our members.

Our collaborative healthcare model helps people adhere to their treatment schedule, manage the emotional terrain around their disease, and get complete, supportive care when they need it most. Contact us to learn more about how we can help your workforce manage diabetes and other long-term health conditions.

[1] https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/living-with/mental-health.html

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/index.html#cdc_report_pub_study_section_1-fast-facts-on-diabetes]

[3] https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/47/1/26/153797/Economic-Costs-of-Diabetes-in-the-U-S-in-2022

[4] https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/hcp/employers/index.html