People with diabetes who experience potentially traumatic events—such as verbal threats, robbery, or traffic accidents—have a higher risk of developing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a
study in
General Hospital Psychiatry.
Why It’s Relevant
Previous research has suggested that PTSD increases the risk of diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. However, it’s unclear whether this connection is bidirectional. If diabetes also raises the risk of PTSD, it could have significant implications for PTSD prevention and treatment, given that the percentage of adults with diabetes worldwide
doubled between 1990 and 2022 and is expected to continue rising.
By the Numbers
- Researchers analyzed longitudinal study data from 1,339 adults in the Netherlands who had reported being exposed to potentially traumatic events in the previous 12 months.
- Compared with participants without pre-existing diabetes, those with type 1 or 2 diabetes had 2.08 times the odds of having high PTSD symptoms and 2.26 times the odds of having moderate to severe anxiety and depressive symptoms in the aftermath of the event.
- Participants with pre-existing cardiac or vascular disease did not have a higher risk of elevated PTSD or anxiety/depressive symptoms compared with peers who did not have these conditions.
The Other Side
The researchers didn’t differentiate between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the duration of diabetes, and possible diabetes-related physical complications that may have increased the risk of post-event mental health problems.
Takeaway Message
The investigators said that the finding that adults with pre-existing cardiac or vascular disease problems were not more at risk for post-event symptoms suggests that diabetes poses disease-specific risks following a traumatic event—potentially via both biological and psychosocial mechanisms.
Related Information
Source
Peter G. van der Velden, et al. Pre-existing diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk for high PTSD symptom levels. Results of a prospective population-based study. General Hospital Psychiatry. Published online May 7, 2026. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2026.05.008
(Image: Getty Images/iStock/Anastasija Vujic)