Confronting Diabetes Stigma: The Impact on Mental Health and Self-Care

Approximately 38 million Americans are living with diabetes, and that number swells to well over 40 million when you include our neighbors in Canada. Yet, it’s still not easy for many people to cope with a diabetes diagnosis. One of the reasons why? Shame.

Anyone who is living with diabetes, particularly the Type 2 form of the disease, knows that the daily grind of controlling blood sugar, checking that glucose meter each day, and managing what can often be a demanding treatment schedule, aren’t the only challenges that have to be overcome to stay diabetes healthy.

In a recent 2024 opinion piece published in The Province, a Canadian publication, the President and CEO of Diabetes Canada, Laura Syron, writes frankly, and quite personally, about the stigmas still associated with diabetes and the ones she herself has experienced in the hopes of changing things for the millions of people bravely battling the disease each day. She also appeared in an interview on Global News Morning Montreal, further elaborating on her experiences.

 

What Are the Stigmas Associated With Diabetes?

While you won’t find these opinions from anyone who has ever walked a mile in the shoes of someone with diabetes, there are plenty of folks out there who still have misperceptions about the diabetes community. Here are three common ones touched upon by Syron in her opinion piece that you may have heard – though at Diabeticteststrips.org, we sincerely hope this is not the case.

Diabetics Are Lazy – for some reason, people have associated the disease with lethargy. Granted, lifestyle factors such as obesity and a lack of physical activity can contribute to the onset of Type 2 diabetes, but that does not mean a person is lazy. Additionally, those with Type 1 diabetes acquired their disease simply due to genetics, with no lifestyle factors playing a role.

Diabetics Lack Self-Control – again, it’s the blame game, assuming that everyone who has diabetes is overindulging in the wrong foods and doing little to care for themselves. In other words, “it’s your own fault.” This simply is not true.

Diabetics Can’t Do The Job – many workplaces attach an unwritten rule to those with diabetes, particularly in jobs that can be physically demanding. Yes, there are a scant few jobs diabetics should not do, such as being commercial pilots, as there is always a small risk of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia that can impact judgment. However, those with diabetes are more than capable of doing the vast majority of jobs that exist, and suggesting otherwise is insulting.

 

The Negative Impact of Stigmas

It’s well documented that people with diabetes are 2-3 times more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem than people who do not have the disease. While much of this is likely attributable to the daily rigors of diabetes management, it’s naïve to believe that at least some of the added prevalence of depression and other emotional disorders isn’t brought on by the mental and emotional pressures of public scrutiny.

In her interview, Syron discusses the psychological toll these damaging sentiments can take on a person, including herself.

“Many people living with diabetes feel a sense of judgment. It might be self-judgment. What did we do to get this condition? There’s a lot of misinformation, so when you’re sharing it with family and friends, there’s judgment about how you got it. What can you eat?’. Even in the workplace... if you have diabetes, what can you do, what does that mean, are you still up for this job,” she candidly states.

One of the more disturbing revelations made in her article and interview is the fact that the feelings of judgment people experience can even impact diabetes self-care and management, with some individuals avoiding doctor’s visits or going less frequently out of fear of judgment from their physicians, should they be experiencing any blood sugar control problems. Not seeking the help they need can have a negative impact on their diabetes and increase the risk of related health complications, such as cardiovascular disease and kidney disease.

 

What Can We Do to Change Opinions?

According to Laura Syron, who, we must note, is speaking specifically about her home country of Canada, we need to flip the script around diabetes in the public conversation. This can come in the form of new educational opportunities in society, with a specific focus on the workplace and healthcare settings.

In the big picture, Syron believes that if we can open up the dialogue around diabetes, it will make all of us more comfortable talking about it, and those living with it will be less worried about judgment and more focused on proper diabetes management.

In her own experiences, Syron recalls the day she was first diagnosed with diabetes and the shame she felt, wondering what she did bring on the disease. She even remembers being worried about telling her husband and family in anticipation of their reactions to the news.

Syron sums up the anxiety she felt powerfully when she reflects that, looking back, even her physician could have helped by sharing with her four simple words, “It’s not your fault.”

 

FAQs

Why do people stigmatize diabetes?

Because diabetes is often related to factors such as weight and physical activity, some people wrongly assume that people with diabetes are lazy or don’t take care of themselves. There is also a level of personal shame that can follow a diabetes diagnosis, as people blame themselves for the onset of the disease and wonder what they could have done differently to prevent it.

What impacts do stigmas have on people with diabetes?

People with diabetes are 2-3 times more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety than those without the disease. More worrisome is that some people avoid seeing their doctors and getting proper care when they need help out of fear of judgment.

What can be done to address stigmas around diabetes?

Diabetes education must be a focus in schools, workplaces, healthcare facilities, and society if the stigmas surrounding diabetes are to change. By opening up a truthful and frank dialogue, we can combat the lies and share the facts about this disease that continues to impact more families worldwide.

 

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