5 things everyone with type 1 diabetes should know

Type 1 diabetes usually strikes people very unexpectedly. Shock, denial, fear and sadness are common first reactions. For most people and their loved ones, these negative emotions will strongly influence what happens next. Below are the 5 most important things to remember when you are first faced with the diagnosis – whether at your first appointment in the emergency department, in hospital or at a clinic. These points are based on the experience of hundreds of newly diagnosed people of all ages with type 1 diabetes.

1. You are not to blame for your diabetes.

Many people feel guilty that they caused or contributed to their diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is the result of an autoimmune attack on the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Nothing a person did or failed to do can cause it. This must be clear from the very beginning and fully understood. There is no place for guilt or shame with diabetes, so it is very important to dispel these feelings early on. When patients hear this, there is often a sigh of relief. In the end, it also makes it easier to take in the other points.

2. A normal life is the main goal with diabetes.

Living with type 1 diabetes has never been easier than it is now. Ongoing public education and various support programmes help people with the condition live a normal life. With new tools and technologies, a person should also expect a full life and a career in whatever field they choose. A shrinking number of professions, such as active combat military service, still have restrictions, but the vast majority of careers are fully open. The future has never been brighter for a person or child with type 1 diabetes, whatever path in life they take.

3. There is no such thing as good or bad treatment. Life is not an endless cycle of grades, assessments and reports.

Diabetes can easily turn into self-judgement or unnecessary judgement by others. However significant diabetes is, it is not a moral failing. It is a metabolic disorder that nobody chooses. Managing it every day takes knowledge, experience and understanding. Diabetes care is a process, not a result. Because diabetes comes with so many numbers, it is tempting to use words like "good" and "bad" about yourself or about loved ones with the condition. Try not to use "good" or "bad" when describing diabetes or its management. Blood sugar can be "in range", "high" or "low", and A1C results can be "within target" or "above target".

4. Diabetes care is shaped by each person's choices.

The average adult is said to make 35,000 different choices every day. More than half of them are based on habit (i.e. we are not always aware of them), while the rest are made consciously. Even so, the total is staggering. Our daily lives are defined by these choices – both the actions we take and those we do not. With this diagnosis, inaction matters a great deal. Imagine the consequences of skipping a scheduled insulin dose or not checking your blood sugar before a meal. Or not eating after taking a dose of rapid-acting insulin? Choices are the self-management behind effective blood sugar control.

5. Do not compare yourself with others. You are a unique person with your own challenges and joys.

We live in a world of social media, where many of us constantly share sensitive details of our daily lives and deepest feelings with strangers on online platforms. When we post a photo or video, we want others to see us the way they want to see us, and vice versa. The online diabetes community can be invaluable as a source of support for people with diabetes. However, some people may use it as a yardstick to judge themselves. This leads to unfair comparisons with others and sometimes envy. It can also be a source of bullying and shame. Every person's diabetes differs in thousands of ways. Avoid comparing your life (or the life of a loved one with diabetes) with others. Like the good-bad trap, comparisons usually lead to envy and disappointment.

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