Common Misconceptions about Type 1 Diabetes

As with everything, there are so many misconceptions about type 1 diabetes, mostly made worse by the stigma the media causes. Here are some questions and comments someone living with type 1 diabetes can get:

At least its not cancer
Cancer and Type 1 Diabetes are not comparable at all, and by saying this you are making light of how hard type 1 diabetes can be to live with!

Invisible Disability - Someone living with Type 1 Diabetes
looks the same as everyone else!

Wow, you must have ate too much sugar as a kid!
Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which means the immune system essentially attacks itself, it has nothing to do with eating too much sugar or being overweight.

You can reverse diabetes if you lose weight, can't you?
This is a confusion between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. With type 2 diabetes, it can *sometimes* be put into remission through dieting, but with type 1 diabetes you are insulin dependant for life, as the cells in your pancreas don't work anymore.

I would rather die than inject myself everyday!
This one is quite insulting actually. If I didn't replace the insulin my body doesn't make, it is a death sentence. You get used to it, because you don't have another choice!

Can you catch type 1 diabetes from someone who already has it?
No! Diabetes isn't contagious, it is genetic.

Should you be eating or drinking that because of your diabetes?
People with type 1 diabetes can eat anything, they just have to know how many carbohydrates are in the food, give insulin accordingly and know how each food affects their own body. We are recommended to eat the same healthy diet as everyone else!

Someone living with type 1 diabetes can eat and
drink anything (within reason!)

Basically, Type 1 Diabetes should not hold you back. It is hard to live with, it requires constant control, but you can live life to the full nevertheless. Someone with type 1 diabetes will be dependant on insulin to live for the rest of their lives, it's not something you can grow out of.

Asking questions is a brilliant way to get to know what someone goes through, so please keep them coming, but also be sensitive about it!

Until Next Time,

Alyssa x