Can You Get Diabetes from Stress?

I recently had a death in the family and my work life is far from ideal. In short, I'm under a ton of stress. I don't have the time or the energy to make major lifestyle changes right now. I've got diabetes that runs in my family, and I wonder, does stress cause diabetes?

Psychological stress is not a direct cause of diabetes, but stress can cause fluctuations of blood sugar in people with diabetes.

There is now evidence that points to abnormal stress responses as causing or contributing to various diseases or conditions. These include anxiety disorders, depression, and substance abuse. Stress can affect virtually any organ system, being associated with conditions as diverse as skin rashes or hives, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, certain gastrointestinal diseases, some cancers, and even the process of aging itself. Stress also seems to increase the frequency and severity of migraine headaches and episodes of asthma. There also is scientific evidence showing that people experiencing psychological stress are more prone to developing colds and other infections than their less-stressed peers. Overwhelming psychological stress (also called trauma) can cause both temporary (transient) and long-lasting (chronic) symptoms of a serious psychiatric illness called posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Risk factors for type 1 diabetes are not as well understood as those for type 2 diabetes. Family history is a known risk factor for type 1 diabetes. Other risk factors can include having certain infections or diseases of the pancreas.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are many. The following can raise your risk of developing type 2 diabetes:

• Being obese or overweight
• High blood pressure
• Elevated levels of triglycerides and low levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL)
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Family history
• Increasing age
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Impaired glucose tolerance
• Insulin resistance
• Gestational diabetes during a pregnancy
• Ethnic background: Hispanic/Latino Americans, African-Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Alaska natives are at greater risk.

For more information, read our full medical article on stress.