The Relationship between Stress and Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by chronic hyperglycemia that results from an alteration of the secretion or action of insulin. This metabolic condition is not homogeneous and the World Health Organization distinguishes two main types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2 DM (T1DM and T2DM). Despite etiological and clinical differences, these two diseases share some characteristics including the role played by stress in the occurrence of the disease, its progression and chronicity, which involves habit changes and influences psychological and social life. In this review we will investigate the psychological correlates of T1DM and T2DM. We will focus on the role of stress in the disease and the need for global care plans in diabetic patients in order to improve their quality of life and metabolic control.