My daughter has been having a lot of issues with in her life, and her type 1 diabetes (while it may not be the cause of the problems) is certainly a major contributor. We believe that she has a problem with depression, and that is carrying over to many other areas of her life. She has been having problems with hygiene, self-esteem, effort in school, chores and responsibilities, diabetes management, school, and petty thefts (especially with food stuffs). We are looking for a resource that may be able to help her sort through some of these things.

Teens with type 1 diabetes are at increased risk for depressive symptoms. The good news is that there are effective treatments for depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy has shown very promising results in treating depression, so has anti-depressant medication. Research suggests that the combination of the two (therapy and medication) have the strongest and longest lasting results. I would strongly recommend you reach out to your daughter�s pediatrician to get the names of good therapists in your community. Also, contact your insurance, as they often have a narrow range of therapists that are on their provider-panel, so finding out from the insurance company who has expertise in teenagers with depressive symptoms is very important. Please seek treatment for your daughter as soon as possible. She does not need to suffer with depression. There�s good help out there.

JWB

[Editor’s comment:

If you do not have pediatrician to consult, ask your diabetes team for a recommendation.
BH]