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If you have type 2 diabetes and are feeling a little down, this new research may give you reason to cheer up. Posted in the journal, Diabetes Care, a research showed that depression, whether mild or severe, can raise the risk of dying in people with type 2 diabetes . It was found that people who have the combination of type 2 diabetes and minor depression have a 67% greater risk of dying. Although, people with both diabetes and major depression have a 130% greater chance of dying, compared to those who have type 2 diabetes alone.

The researchers was done at the University of Washington were they followed 4,154 people who had type 2 diabetes for three years after they filled out a questionnaire screening for depression. In order for a person to be considered depressed, the symptoms had to include depressed mood or loss of pleasure.

It was found that participants with depression were more likely to have two or more complications related to diabetes, to have another medical condition, to smoke, to be obese, and to have been treated with insulin. They were also less likely to be physically active.

During the three years of follow-up, 382 participants died from all causes. A greater proportion of participants with depression died compared to those who weren’t depressed; nearly 14% of those with minor depression and 12% of those with major depression died, while slightly more than 8% of non-depressed participants died.

While the study doesn’t pinpoint the reason the combination of depression and type 2 diabetes appears to be more deadly than diabetes alone, the researchers say the cause could be biological or behavioral. They also said, that changes in brain chemistry and the nervous system which accompany depression could also worsen diabetes outcomes.

Other known symptoms of depression include changes in sleeping and eating habits, lack of energy and changes in activity levels. If you are feeling any of the symptoms of depression or have questions about it, talk to your doctor right away!