Everyone has an opinion about diabetes. They also love to share their opinions with people who live with diabetes. Between the questions we get from family, friends, random people, and our healthcare team, it can be exhausting feeling the weight of stigma. So, if you love someone with diabetes, or care for people living with diabetes, here are a few tips for talking to people about diabetes.
Even people without diabetes do not have blood sugars in range 100% of the time, so how can we expect people WITH diabetes to have glucose levels in range all the time? As a PWD, I can eat the same exact meal three days in a row, take the same exact dose of insulin, and end up with three vastly different post meal glucose levels. There are just too many things that affect glucose levels to consider.
We also learn more about the human body every day. We have found new hormones that impact glucose levels, such as GLP1s (glucagon-like peptide), that have since been developed into medications. Insulin is only one hormone and only one piece of the puzzle. Who knows how many other hormones we will be able to use to manage diabetes in the future?
Thank you to everyone who uses person-first language to help empower and support people with diabetes! We need all the help we can get sometimes. 😊
Written and clinically reviewed by Marissa Town, RN, BSN, CDCES
