I have heard that depression is more common in people with diabetes. Is this true?

Yes, it is true that  people with diabetes (and with other long-term illnesses) can experience higher rates  

of depression. This can be due to factors relating to the diabetes itself, or it can be unrelated. There is no convincing evidence that the actual blood sugar level itself is  reliably  predictive of mood,  even in  those with a tendency to  depression. The  severity of the diabetes and its complications,  as well as its impact upon a person’s  lifestyle and aspirations,  can be an important  predictor  of  depression.  For  some  the impact may be major and for others much  less so, even though the degree of severity of the diabetes is the same. It is  important to remember that the vast majority of people in our  society with treated dia- betes  (more  than  15  million  in  the  United  States alone) are able to  adjust to  the  disorder and  have happy, productive, and  rewarding lives. Some have even achieved astonishing things in all walks of life. Examples  include the gold medal winning Olympic swimmer  Gary   Hall,  the  NBA  basketball  player Adam Morrison, and the  actresses Halle Berry and Mary Tyler Moore and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor,  all  of  whom  have  lived  with  diabetes while achieving great success.  If you are experiencing unusual degrees of sadness, reduced  enthusiasm  or  interest  in  life, or  excessive stress that  you  perceive is related to your diabetes, your doctor or certified diabetes educator may be able to help you to identify resources  that  can help you cope. Some of these resources are discussed in Ques- tion 82. Many certified diabetes educators (CDEs) are  trained  to  provide  such  psychosocial support. If you are  truly suffering from depression, your dia- betes may or may  not  be an underlying cause, even though it may seem that  way. Your doctor or CDE will help you to identify whether expert professional psychological or psychiatric consultation is needed.