Q: I have diabetes, and when my blood sugar is low, I sometimes get uncooperative and confused. What can I do so the people around me know what’s going on?

Ask Our Expert About Diabetes and Mood Changes

Meet Our Expert:

Gerald J. Rodriguez is a licensed clinical social worker at Lehigh Valley Health Network's Helwig Health and Diabetes Center.

 

More on Mood Swings

We know that mood changes can be caused by diabetes - but if you’re undiagnosed, the mood swings can happen more often. If you (or a loved one) have mood swings, ask your doctor to explore diabetes, especially if you have the following symptoms:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unusual weight loss
• Increased fatigue
• Irritability
• Blurry vision

Q: I have diabetes, and when my blood sugar is low, I sometimes get uncooperative and confused. What can I do so the people around me know what’s going on?

A: Educate other people about your illness and the symptoms of low blood sugar. Talk to important people at home, school or work, and let them know that you often do not recognize your mood changes. Educating others is vital because they can recognize if you’re acting irritable or confused and help you identify if you have low blood sugar to keep you safe during this potential life-threatening episode. Let them know you don’t expect your diabetes to give you a free pass for moodiness—if they see mood changes, it’s your responsibility to determine the cause. If you show them you’re comfortable talking about your diabetes, they’ll feel more comfortable approaching you about it.

The symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) others are most likely to see include:

• Sudden moodiness or behavior changes, such as crying for no apparent reason
• Uncooperativeness or resistance
• Difficulty paying attention or confusion
• Slurred speech
• Pale skin color
• Clumsy or jerky movements
• Shakiness
• Sweating
• Dizziness

Even knowing the symptoms of low blood sugar, it can still be hard to separate emotional issues from low blood sugar symptoms. You won’t always be able to determine if the other person is upset with you because of something you’ve done, or if they’re having problems unrelated to you. Don’t be afraid to be open and talk about the situation.

If they’re reacting to something you’ve done, check your blood sugar. If you aren’t checking, you aren’t treating. And if you’ve behaved out of line—for whatever reason – it’s important to take responsibility, although it may be difficult. You can say, 'I’m sorry I said that to you. My blood sugar was low, and I’ve treated it. I hope I didn’t damage our relationship.' You’re not using diabetes as an excuse, you’re letting your friend know you’ve identified the problem and corrected it.

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