If it doesn’t affect you, it doesn’t matter, right?

There are so many different problems that people face, whether it is disability, their home situation, or the discrimination they receive, and everyone has had a different experience of life. I have come across people that aren’t empathetic towards people who are struggling, purely because they have no knowledge or experience of it, and they just write off the problem. Personally, I feel I have done this before. If someone comes to me with an issue I am unfamiliar with, I struggle to comprehend and respond to the problem fully. I do, however, try not to judge anyone, as I do not know their story or any of the struggles they have faced.

I do have a chronic, life threatening health condition, Type 1 Diabetes, and have faced people not understanding why some things happen. Often the seriousness of this is misunderstood, and people judge me if my blood sugar goes low or goes high, often asking how I let that happen. I have struggled, but I try not to compare my own suffering or experience with other people, because that can cause judgement if we didn’t deal with a situation in the same way.

I write about my experiences with diabetes, because I deal with it every day. It is a topic I am very familiar with. There are, however, a lot of issues that don’t affect me directly that are just as important as this. There are many issues that are raised, for example racism and feminism, that many dismiss because it doesn’t have a direct impact on their lives. I have witnessed people claim that it doesn’t even exist, because they are naive towards its impact. People don’t campaign for difference for no reason.

Be open-minded. If someone raises a concern about a topic you are unfamiliar with, discuss it, learn the facts and don’t be judgmental. Everyone is from different cultures, backgrounds and have different stories. People struggle in different ways, which are often private, and most actions stem from their backgrounds. Before being discriminatory, thinking or saying anything judgmental, remember that just because their issues don’t affect you directly, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t important. Words have impact, so think before you speak!

Until Next Time,

Alyssa x