Beyond Blood Sugar: Addressing Diabetes and Mental Health

Diabetes demands more than just monitoring blood sugar levels. In fact, people with diabetes are two-to-three times more likely to have depression, and up to half of those who have depression get diagnosed and treated.

Go talk to a therapist, right? If only finding appointments weren’t so difficult. Even if you did, therapy is hardly affordable. Add $200 per session on top of the astronomical cost of managing diabetes – averaging $16,750 per year – and it’s no wonder people are struggling.

If this is your reality, just know there’s hope.

Navigating Diabetes and Mental Health

Stress may cause blood sugar levels to spike and exacerbate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Likewise, managing blood sugar levels may exacerbate stress levels and symptoms of mental illness.

Historically, you’d talk to a PCP about managing blood sugar and a therapist about stress. This seems good in theory, but it’s not the best approach. Here’s why:

• The PCP and therapist likely work in different locations. Therefore, they don’t collaborate, meaning you might receive conflicting advice.
• Treatment costs you significantly more money.
• It results in poorer outcomes, significantly increasing the likelihood of return visits.

Patients living with diabetes deserve not only the best possible physical care but also the emotional and psychological support necessary to navigate their unique challenges. By addressing both sides of the equation, we can move one step closer to a world where diabetes is not just managed, but truly understood. That’s where evolvedMD comes in.

Imagine Seeing a Therapist at the Primary Care Practice You Trust

More and more primary care practices nationwide are partnering with behavioral health integration companies, like evolvedMD, to provide comprehensive, ongoing care.

What does this mean for diabetes patients?

• Comprehensive Care – It’s not just about blood tests and insulin. Behavioral health integration programs like evolvedMD’s can address both physical and mental health symptoms related to diabetes.
• Seamless Collaboration – When doctors and therapists work together, you receive high-quality care – all in one location.
• Quick, Affordable Treatment – No more waiting months for an appointment or shelling out $200 per session. With insurance, you receive swift treatment and pay the same co-pay to see a therapist as you would your doctor.
• Fast Results – Get better faster with less return visits.
• The End of Stigma – By normalizing mental health as an integral part of overall health, you’ll feel empowered to seek help without fear of judgment.

This approach isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a lifeline for people like you living with diabetes.

Here’s how it works:

1. You schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor to talk about your diabetes.
2. During your appointment, your doctor screens for anxiety or depression. You may also share feeling more stressed, anxious, and sad than usual over the past few months.
3. Your doctor immediately connects you with evolvedMD’s onsite Behavioral Health Manager.
4. Within days—sometimes on the same day—you’ll have your first 45-minute appointment with the Behavioral Health Manager at the same primary care practice.
5. The Behavioral Health Manager delivers therapy services to help you cope with symptoms of anxiety and depression.
6. If psychiatric medication is deemed necessary, the Behavioral Health Manager will discuss with an off-site Psychiatric Consultant. Your doctor may then prescribe an antidepressant based on the Consultant’s recommendation.
7. You continue seeing the Behavioral Health Manager every month for mental health services in addition to regular check-ins with your primary care doctor.

The result: A happier, healthier you with physical and mental health symptoms of diabetes under control.

While tremendous progress has been made in managing the physical aspects of diabetes, we’re advocating for a world where diabetes is not just managed, but truly understood. By integrating mental health into primary care, people like you can get the holistic support they need to live life to its fullest.

Talk to your doctor about receiving mental health support.
If they don’t offer on-site behavioral health services, share this article with them.