Just as T1Ds can suffer from hypo anxiety, we can also suffer from hyper anxiety. This can be related to short term consequence as in Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or long term consequences, complications.
DKA Anxiety
DKA anxiety can be either PTSD or anxiety itself. If you have suffered a DKA or regular suffer them, you might actively try to avoid them and panic when numbers are high. Conversely, if you have never suffered one, but have read of others experiences or created a perception in your mind about how bad they are, you might also fear them.
In my case, I only ever suffered one DKA and I do beleive that my body used to be resistant to them, as it became so used to being high.
My personal theory on DKA is that what the body actually hates the most, is a rapid change from its modus state, it gets used to how it is asked to run and becomes resistant. For me, there was no fear of the short term consequence of high blood sugars, but all the time i was there, I was doing long term damage.
Complications anxiety
Every T1D is told and scared at diagnosis and thereafter that poorly controlled numbers will lead to, blindness, amputation kidney damage, ect.
In particular, our eyes and legs are so important to us, obviously. Both are connected to working, driving, hobbies, everything percieved to be crucial to a fulfilling life, and the fear of losing either or both of them creates panic.
The Consequenses
If you suffer from hyper anxiety, your behaviour might manifest as follows:
- Deliberately over dose pre meal insulin.
- Over react to higher numbers and overdose corrections.
- Stack correction doses too soon.
None are effective solutions as all place you in a much higher risk of hypoglycemia, which, as discussed, creates its own anxieties.