Diabetes Mellitus

Psychological Management and Clinical Interventions

- By Farhin Mustak, Counsellor, IIT Kharagpur, [e-mail], Ph: 98744 84336 and Dr. Mustafa Nadeem Kirmani, Associate Professor, Amity Institute of Clinical Psychology, Amity University Haryana, Ph: 08295 320920, [e-mail], [e-mail]

Diabetes mellitus is treated by following biopsychosocial model. Medical interventions like medicines, etc and psychosocial interventions play an important role in the management of diabetes. Diabetes management necessitates ongoing self-care, which can be difficult psychologically. Diabetes-related distress, anxiety, depression, and motivational problems are common in people with diabetes and can affect their compliance with lifestyle and treatment recommendations. In order to maximize glycemic outcomes and quality of life, psychological interventions seek to alter these mental barriers and encourage behavior change.

The following are the psychological interventions used in this clinical condition.

• Relaxation training: Relaxation training mainly aims to reduce the physiological and psychological arousal which is associated with increase in sugar level. Under this includes like JPMR, Yoga, Applied relaxation, deep breathing etc.

• Self-monitoring: The process of regulating one's behavior in terms of sugar level is one step toward regulating sugar level and thereby maintaining that in balance level.