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opinion editorial
OPINION: You've probably heard that people living with diabetes are lazy, lack self-control, or intentionally don't take care of themselves.
Published date May 2, 2024 • Last updated 6 hours ago • Reading time 3 minutes
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People with diabetes can face stigma in public if self-care acts such as checking blood sugar levels or injecting insulin for health emergencies are misinterpreted as illegal drug use or intoxication. Laura Chiron writes. Getty Images Photo credit: Suriyawut Suriya /Getty Images/iStockphoto
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The federal government's decision to cover diabetes drugs and devices in a new pharmacare plan will change the lives of millions of people living with diabetes in Canada, especially those who struggle to pay for treatment. This is an important step forward in improving quality.
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But it's not just access to medicines and equipment that impacts the well-being of people living with diabetes. This title may be reserved for something we don't really like to talk about: the stigma surrounding diabetes.
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Harmful misconceptions about diabetes exist in all parts of society, and diagnosis can involve a lot of judgment. Studies have shown that these not only negatively impact the mental health of people living with the disease, but can even prevent them from seeking the care they need to stay physically healthy.
It is time to change the conversation about diabetes in Canada and remove the stigma once and for all.
Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in Canada. In Canada, he says, one person is diagnosed with diabetes every three minutes, but there are still many misconceptions about what diabetes is and how it develops, and negative stereotypes about people with diabetes persist. Not even.
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People living with diabetes have probably heard it all: being lazy, lacking self-control, intentionally not taking care of themselves. Understandably, people with diabetes continue to feel blamed and ashamed that this life-altering diagnosis is entirely their fault.
I understand how you feel. literally.
When I was told that I had diabetes, I felt a tremendous wave of shame and quickly concluded that I had obviously brought it on in some way. Not only did I want to keep it a secret from others, but I also needed to be able to “deal with it myself.”
Much later, I learned that this was a common experience among diabetics. I also learned that at the moment of diagnosis, my healthcare provider could have changed the course of my diabetes with four simple words: “It’s not your fault.”
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An important step we have taken at Diabetes Canada to change the conversation is how pervasive the stigma of diabetes is, and what the social experience is like and feels like for the more than 4 million of us living with diabetes. The goal is to conduct groundbreaking research to find out what is happening. .
We're asking thousands of Canadians with diabetes about their experiences. We want to know how those experiences are impacting their physical health and mental well-being.
Diabetes is a complex condition that comes in several types, including type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes, and involves many risk factors that are out of an individual's control, including genes, family history, and environment.
However, people with diabetes often have to rely on family members, friends, co-workers, etc. to tell them how they should manage their weight, what activities they should do, and what foods they should and shouldn't eat. I often receive negative and critical comments and reactions from.
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They are also exposed to prejudice and discrimination at work. People can be denied meal breaks or blood sugar checks, be passed over for promotions, or even lose their jobs because of their diabetes if their employers worry that benefits are too expensive. Because the work may be too taxing for them.
Worse yet, self-care acts such as checking blood sugar levels or injecting insulin in case of a hypoglycemic emergency can be mistaken for illegal drug use or intoxication, resulting in public or medical You may face prejudice in the field.
All of these can have negative psychological effects. Research shows that people with diabetes are at increased risk for low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. This is often called diabetic distress.
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So how can we change the conversation around diabetes?
We need widespread education across society to dispel what I sometimes call the triple threat of diabetes beliefs: misinformation, apathy, and prejudice. We also need more targeted education to better support people living with diabetes in the workplace and in medical settings.
You should also consider your word and image choices when talking about diabetes, moving from “if I could” to “how can I support you?”
Perhaps most importantly, we need to start a more open dialogue about diabetes in Canada and make it easier for those of us living with diabetes to talk about it.
It's time to destigmatize diabetes so that the millions of people living with diabetes can enjoy fulfilling, healthy lives.
Laura Syron is President and CEO of Diabetes Canada.
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