What is Medical Illness

Aging mirrors all the changes that occur over the period of life. It comes with various changes both positive and negative. Among all medical illnesses, Diabetes Mellitus is one of the most common and serious medical condition that has affected not only the aging population but also the young children and adults as well. Diabetes and its complications can contribute to aging process in a number of ways and the complications can speed up the aging process as well. For people with type 2 diabetes managing their emotional health can be as important as keeping their blood sugar under control. Patients with diabetes mellitus need psychological support throughout their life span from the time of diagnosis. However, provision of psychosocial support is generally inadequate due to its challenging nature of needs and demands on the healthcare systems. The present chapter will cover different aspects of diabetes mellitus and its impact on human life and also how with healthy coping mechanism one can prevent the distressing effect of diabetes on aging and vice versa.