5 Things Not To Say To A Type 1 Diabetic | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

5 Things Not To Say To A Type 1 Diabetic

Time for a lesson in manners.

30
5 Things Not To Say To A Type 1 Diabetic
Buzzfeed

To put it simply, type one diabetes is an autoimmune disease that currently has no cure. It happens when your immune system decides to straight up murder your pancreas. Your pancreas makes insulin, which is the only thing that lets your body accept the nutrients you get from food. So without it, you die (obviously). I have had type one diabetes for two years now, and have received comments about it that either make no sense or are just unnecessary. So, in order to help out the general public, here are some of things you definitely should not say to someone with diabetes.

1. “Should you be eating that?”

This one is probably the most common. No matter how many eye rolls you give, people won’t stop. Honestly, no, I should not be shoveling three donuts down my throat, but hey, this is my business. You probably shouldn't be caking on mascara to the point where you look like Yzma from "The Emperor's New Groove," but I like to stay in my own lane. Insert tea-drinking Kermit the frog here.

2. “At least it’s not cancer.”

Seriously? You find out someone has a lifelong, incurable disability and this is your response? This comment is like if someone lost all their belongings in a house fire and you walked up to them and said “Hey, get over it. You’re lucky it wasn’t a tornado.” Here’s a list of complications type one diabetes can lead to, so yes, it is a big deal.

- Heart disease

- Nerve damage

- Kidney damage

- Like, honestly, your body just hates you

- Eye damage

- Pregnancy complications

- A whole mess of other autoimmune diseases.

3. “Oh, hey, my grandma has what you have.”


A. No, she probably doesn’t. B. through Z., I didn’t ask. Type two (what your grandma probably has) and type one (what I have) are VERY different. If you’d like to learn how, go here.

4. “Ha ha, I ate so much chocolate last night, I probably have diabetes.”

Ha ha, oh really? What kind do you think you have? Because I have the kind where I have to shove needles into my body for the rest of my life and I definitely didn't get it from eating chocolate.

5. “Hey, if you don’t take care of yourself, I heard you could lose a foot.”

From my list above, you can probably deduce that, yes, you could potentially lose a foot. But I’m not in a doctor’s office, and you’re not a medical physician. Also, I'm a fan of having my feet attached to my body, so you can bet I'll take care of myself.

If you’re one of my fellow diabetics, you know exactly how annoying these are. If you aren’t, just know that someone you know and/or love might be diabetic. And they have a lot more to deal with than to listen to your terrible remarks.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition

10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

1093
How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again when college students live at the library all week, cramming for tests that they should have started studying for last month. Preparing to spend all day at the library takes much consideration and planning. Use these tips to help get you through the week while spending an excessive amount of time in a building that no one wants to be in.

Keep Reading...Show less
girl roommates
StableDiffusion

Where do we begin when we start talking about our roommates? You practically spend every moment with them, they become your second family and they deal with you at your best and at your absolute worst. They are there to make you laugh just a little harder, cry a little less and make each day a little better. We often forget to thank them for the little things that they do to make college even a tiny bit easier and more fun. This list of 26 things are what you should thank your roommates for right this minute and every day that you live with them.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

20 Thoughts While Studying For Finals

I may or may not be stressing right now.

1999
Thoughts While Studying For Finals
StableDiffusion


That time of the semester has arrived once again, finals. The worst week ever. Who thought it was a good idea for all your classes to have exams all in the same week? Definitely not me. Here's 20 thoughts you may have studying for finals.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Disney magic for New Year!

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

6853
Disney magic kingdom castle on new years
StableDiffusion

Disney movies are well known and very popular in today's world. Although many people appreciate the plot and the storyline, not many people appreciate the wisdom these characters possess. Every Disney movie has unique advice that can be applied to everyday life. Here are 11 Disney quotes to help start your New Year off right:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

40 Gift Ideas for the Indecisive

It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. But also a time of stressing over the perfect gift.

121067
Christmas gifts around a tree
StableDiffusion

It's officially December. There is less than a month of 2024, and I still feel like yesterday was summer. Now comes the merriest time of the year, the Christmas season.

Everyone has been waiting for this time of year since mid-October (which is way too early, in my opinion) or before. It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. A lot of times when I ask friends and family what they want, I get a lot of "I don't know" or "I don't care."

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments