Get rid of the stigma associated with diabetes

[Northerner]

People with diabetes often experience feelings of fear and blame arising from stereotypes around diabetes and its management.

For example, they may not want to say they can't eat something or may not want to take insulin in front of others for fear of deviating from the social norm.

People with type 2 diabetes may be viewed as unhealthy. Campaigns that have focused on lifestyle changes to prevent diabetes may actually make these stigmas worse by suggesting people with type 2 diabetes caused their own disease.

People with diabetes on insulin often feel uncomfortable injecting insulin in social situations for fear of being viewed as a drug addict. Those on insulin are restricted from certain employment opportunities leading to people hiding their disease from their employer.

All of these things prevent people from managing their diabetes well.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/story/life/2014/08/04/get-rid-stigma-associated-diabetes/13503561/

 

[HERE TINTIN]

I suffer terriblty from a fear of being stereotyped. I cringe with embarrassment when I have to admit to being blind with kidney failure and diabetes, I think people immediately judge me without knowing my background and just think well it's all your own fault you don't deserve any help or sympathy. I don't like injecting in public and only do it because I have to, but I worry what people are thinking. I also have never tested my blood in public, if I am out eating I do a rough calculation of carbs and how much insulin I need then I test later in private and correct if I need to. I am not sure why there is a sort of shame surrounding diabetes these days, it should be the opposite, has it always been like that do you think ?

 

[Northerner]

I don't think it has always been that way TinTin. Although it's likely that I have taken more notice of mentions of diabetes in the media since my diagnosis 6 years ago, the amount of negative coverage diabetes gets has definitely increased in recent years. It's only very recently that articles and news repots have started to distinguish between the two main types, so usually Type 1 is lumped in with Type 2 in the public's perception. Moreover, Type 2 is portrayed as almost exclusively a 'lifestyle' disease, which is curable if only people bucked their ideas up. This message helps no-one - those at risk do not change their ways to reduce their risk, becuase they think it is something that is easily manageable and only happens to other people, and people with the condition are made to feel guilty which does not help them in seeking help and controlling their levels.

Personally, I think that diabetes has taught me so much about how the body works and about the importance of diet and exercise whatever the type of diabetes, that I am in a much better position regarding my health than many of my peers who don't have to concern themselves with such things.

You shouldn't feel ashamed of your diabetes and the things it has done to your body. You weren't responsible for getting it, and the complications you have developed are due to the lack of knowledge and care you received when you were younger.

I don't worry about people judging me because they are ill-informed, about me and the disease, and because I have no doubt I could counter any negative judgement of me with ten things they should and could do regarding their own health, but don't. To paraphrase a biblical saying, 'extract the beam that is in your own eye before you start picking splinters out of mine'! 🙂

 

[Sally71]

So far we have been lucky and haven't had any incidents of abuse, funny looks or idiots offering "advice", just the obvious questions from friends who are genuinely interested. But daughter is still massively shy about it! If it was me with the D I don't think I'd give two hoots what anyone else thought about it, if they don't know me it's none of their business. Daughter finds this difficult though and we are working on it - true, you don't need to advertise the fact but I don't want her to feel that she has to hide it away either. We do test in public (usually under the table) but then the advantage of the pump is that people don't know what you're up to after that!

I posted somewhere else that we were singing "wear your pump with pride", yesterday daughter suddenly lifted her top up, displaying pump and cannula for all to see 😱 Although we weren't anywhere busy, we were on a canal towpath in the depths of the countryside* so not many people about. Small steps are good though!

* We were on holiday last week, on the in-laws' narrow boat chugging around the canals in Staffordshire. Very nice. That's why I haven't posted much lately, no wifi and very patchy phone signal!