The Stigma of Diabetes

Because this condition requires disciplined self management, an adolescent suffering from either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes faces certain stigma especially in the school setting. As a result, many children suffering from this condition hide the disease or even avoid the whole process of managing the condition.

This is a major issue especially for adolescents. Regulating one's insulin levels is key to prevent short term health issues and long term organ damage. Another aspect of diabetes self-management would be following a healthy diet program, because what as diabetic ingests would later on affect one's blood glucose levels. When the diabetic is older, this social stigma is not much of an issue as the dangers that need to be avoided is given greater weight compared to the social acceptance needed and wanted by a teenager.

The social stigma faced by adolescent diabetics is the ridicule received or potential ridicule to be received from their peers and schoolmates. The most common issue would be the perceived preferential treatment obtained by diabetic students compared to normal students. These include getting a piece of candy when the diabetic student's blood sugar level becomes too low but there would be none for normal healthy students. Another instance would be being excused from physical activity that can result in sudden lowering of blood sugar levels to avoid and prevent hypoglycemia.

Because of these instances and other perceived favoritism, many diabetics are discriminated upon and even shunned by their peers. A further social issue would be the socio-economic levels of the diabetic student. Adolescents suffering from Type 2 diabetes are often from low income or minority families. These families also suffer from obesity because of poor diets and eating habits. Because they are perceived as either fragile or being teacher's pets, these adolescents suffer from ridicule as well as the lack of social activities. In the long term, this results in depression or social isolation, affecting one's self perception leading to blaming the condition for the stigma. As a backlash, the adolescent foregoes or even puts their diabetic body into greater stress, resulting in greater health issues both in the near and long term.

There are ways to identify these individuals and the social depression they are undergoing. These signs include irritability, hiding food, refusal to take drug medication and even lying as to blood sugar levels are specific actions that indicate the individual's need to be accepted in their social circle. Also, the home situation is another aspect that can affect the perception of the highly impressionable adolescent regarding the care and medication of diabetes.