Low blood sugar can affect a person whether they have diabetes or not. For patients with diabetes, though, mood swings coupled with the anger of having a chronic disease can be tough to manage. It may be frustrating to deal with diabetes day after day for a lifetime.
Your partner's diabetes may cause you to overlook or make excuses for angry reactions , which is OK to an extent. However, anger that escalates into physical, verbal, or emotional abuse should never be tolerated. Fortunately, it is treatable. With self-care and preparation, most severe mood swings are avoidable. This article discusses how diabetes can cause anger, how to manage mood swings, and what to do if anger turns abusive.
The fluctuating blood glucose levels that characterize poorly controlled diabetes can contribute to mood swings and lead to unpredictable or even aggressive behavior. What's sometimes called "diabetic rage" can be dangerous, because it may involve behaviors you're not consciously aware of.
When your blood sugar fluctuates, spikes, or drops, it can produce feelings of anger, anxiety, or depression. You may feel like your emotions are out of your control. Self-control of aggressive behaviors requires energy, much of which comes from glucose. Researchers agree that low blood sugar in one or both romantic partners increases the risk of aggressive and violent behaviors within the relationship. Such behaviors include:.
More seriously, extremes of both hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia can lead to cognitive impairment, confusion, loss of self-control, or hallucinations. These conditions should be considered a medical emergency. Every person has a right to get angry sometimes. But it isn't normal for someone with diabetes to erupt into anger and take it out on others. If anger is expressed violently to hurt or scare you, then it becomes domestic abuse. Abuse can be actual physical contact, like hitting, slapping, pushing, or otherwise inflicting bodily harm.
