Diabetes and the Mental Health Connection Sitemap

Section one is an overview of diabetes and how taking certain antipsychotic medications for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder may lead to developing diabetes. Section two deals specifically with atypical antipsychotics and diabetes and how to treat and prevent diabetes.

Diabetes and Mental Health, Section 1

1. Diabetes and the Mental Health Connection
2. Some Sobering Facts about Diabetes
3. Diabetes Basics  (Types of Diabetes)
4. Warning Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes, Glucose Test Results
5. Pre-diabetes and Insulin Resistance
6. Diabetes Complications
7. Metabolic Syndrome: Those with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder at Highest Risk
8. Understanding Diabetes Test

Diabetes and Mental Health, Section 2

1. The Relationship Between Diabetes and Mental Health
2. Diabetes and Depression: The Chicken and the Egg
3. Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and Diabetes
4. Diabetes and Other Mental Health Conditions
5. Antipsychotic Drugs, Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes
6. Which Atypical Antipsychotics Carry the Highest Risk for Diabetes?
7. Atypical Antipsychotics, Stomach Fat and Metabolic Syndrome
8. Solutions to Resolve Antipsychotics Leading to Diabetes
9. Important Changes: Atypical Antipsychotics and Diabetes Warning
10. Diabetes Management and Prevention
11. Four Ways to Prevent Diabetes When You Live with a Mental Illness
12. Current Diabetes Treatments
13. Controlling the Risk Factors That Can Lead to Diabetes

A Note From Julie Fast

I was diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar II with psychotic features in 1995. From that time until 1998, I took 23 medications including all of the then used antipsychotics. I gained 80 pounds. Since that time, I've struggled with weight- especially the yo-yo dieting that happens to so many with medication weight gain problems.

Current research is looking for the reasons antipsychotics (and other psychiatric medications) cause so much weight gain. One theory is that the medications block a certain enzyme that controls the body's ability to feel full. Anyone who has taken the high-risk (for diabetes) atypical antipsychotics knows what the bottomless hunger feels like.

A few years ago, I took a high-risk antipsychotic and gained 23 pounds in less than two months. I woke up at 3 a.m. and ate a tuna sandwich in the dark. A friend of mine ate garbanzo beans right from the can!

This is a true problem for so many of us who need antipsychotics. It is my life's goal to get rid of all metabolic fat on my body. I do not want diabetes or the even more dangerous heart disease and I now have the information I need to make the right changes- even when I'm depressed and junk food looks like the best option.

My first step was to stop drinking pop, the next is simply to eat less. I am no longer 80 pounds overweight. I still have weight to lose and won't stop until it's gone and my risk of diabetes is zero.

Read more about Julie Fast.

next: Connection Between Diabetes and Mental Health ~ back to: Browse all Diabetes Information Articles