Nick Jonas Suffered Anxiety at the Golden Globes: ‘It Hit Me Like a Gut Punch’—Could Type 1 Diabetes Play a Role?

Nick

Jonas recently attended the Golden Globes at Beverly Hills, California, but was seen repeatedly stepping outside the venue. Later, he candidly shared with his fans what happened. The 33-year-old singer reveals he suffers from social anxiety, which got the better of him at the function, held on Sunday. In a video going viral on social media, Jonas was seen looking around as he took a sip of water outside the annual awards ceremony. After the clip went viral online, he responded to a repost on X, saying, “Yeah…it hit me like a gut punch,” referring to his latest song Gut Punch.

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Jonas, who lives with type 1 diabetes, has always been vocal about his mental health, which experts believe is due to imbalanced insulin levels.

How does diabetes lead to anxiety?

According to experts, diabetes absolutely causes anxiety - and the link is strong and bidirectional. It means that imbalanced blood sugar levels increase the risk of anxiety, which worsens diabetes management, often due to the constant stress and fear of complications. Those who live with diabetes are significantly more likely to experience anxiety than those without the condition, with studies showing higher prevalence rates. According to experts, many overlapping symptoms like rapid heart rate, sweating, and confusion, which also feel like hypoglycemia, make it hard. The initial diagnosis and fear of injections or blood draws can also trigger anxiety disorders. Studies regarding the connection have consistently uncovered a strong connection between diabetes and anxiety. According to one study, Americans with diabetes are 20 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety than those without diabetes.

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

While it might initially stem from stress or a stressful situation, anxiety is more than just feeling stressed. It is an excessive and unrealistic worry that interferes with relationships and daily life. Experts say the symptoms of anxiety vary from person to person, a few of which include:

• Agoraphobia – or a fear of certain places or situations
• Generalised anxiety disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD
• Panic attacks
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Separation anxiety disorder
• Specific phobias
• Nervousness, restlessness, or being tense
• Constant feelings of danger, panic, or dread
• Rapid heart rate
• Rapid breathing
• Increased or heavy sweating
• Trembling or muscle twitching
• Weakness and lethargy
• Difficulty focusing or thinking clearly
• Insomnia or sleeplessness
• Digestive or gastrointestinal problems, such as gas or constipation

How can you treat anxiety with diabetes?

Doctors say you can treat or even lessen the symptoms of anxiety with diabetes, with a few changes, which include:

Lifestyle changes

Make sure to regularly exercise, avoid alcohol and other recreational drugs, limit caffeine, maintain a healthy diet, and get enough sleep, which can often help to calm anxiety.

Therapy

If lifestyle changes are not helping, make sure to see a mental health provider, who can use therapy techniques like:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which teaches you to recognize anxious thoughts and behaviours and change them
• Exposure therapy, in which you get exposed gradually to things that make you anxious, helps manage your feelings.

Medications

In many cases, medicines can also be prescribed to treat anxiety, such as:

• Antidepressants
• Anti-anxiety medications like buspirone
• A benzodiazepine for the relief of panic attacks