Healthy Living

Do Diabetic Patients Typically Experience Mood Swings?

Insulin directly affects how the brain operates.

There is an actual result in your brain of low or high blood sugar. Insulin has a place in the brain that is responsible for controlling food consumption, memory formation and self-control. Insulin receptors in the thalamus, which plays a role in restraint, can be disrupted if you have too much or too little insulin in your bloodstream.

Without the right amount of insulin in your brain, the thalamus cannot regulate your emotions or your food cravings. Insufficient insulin in the brain will lead to comas, while too much insulin has a risk of memory loss, developing dementia, and finding yourself with Alzheimer’s.

Self-control comes into play as you look at clinical studies between mood swings, anger, and diabetes. Those with type 2 diabetes who experience frequent hyperglycemia episodes have a higher risk of developing depression and a higher tendency to exhibit aggressive behavior. The cause? The amount of insulin in your brain contributes to anger bursts.

Further studies show that a patient’s control of blood sugar levels is also a contributing factor to mood swings and aggression. If you suffer from a lack of control and have frequent fluctuations, you will tend to exhibit hostile behavior and be verbally abusive.