August 14, 1999
Behavior
Question from Connecticut, USA:
My son has had Type 1 diabetes for two years. Since that time he has found it hard to have any drive. Things don’t matter. He will be 18 later this year, and the high school he is attending wants to keep him back because of excessive absences (25). He has stomachaches in the morning and headaches. He was treated for depression a few months back. I want my son to go onto senior year, and go on with his life. The school system doesn’t want to hear he has been out due to his disability.
Answer:
Your son sounds like he is struggling with his depression and that it has become chronic. If he has left therapy, he would be well advised to begin again. He can’t “get on with his life” until he sees a life worth living for himself. Is he on any antidepressant medication? Has it been reevaluated for its usefulness? I sense that he has lost hope.
I do not view diabetes as disabling in itself but chronic depression is!
CMB
Additional Comments from Dr. John Schulga
Another thought: Check to see if he might be having nocturnal hypos which may be causing some of his morning
symptoms.
JS
