one way to ease the burden of diabetes

Diabetes is scary and depressing for 25% of Australian teens with the disease (according to one study). One (pretty simple) way we can lessen the stress for adolescents and others with diabetes is to use language that builds on their strengths and empowers them. This is a subtle way to encourage success, decrease guilt, anger and fear, and hopefully counteract the depressing nature of the disease. Let’s do away with words like “diabetic,” which is a reminder that we’re different; “compliance” and “control” (or “uncontrolled”), which are simply judgments; and “test,” “good/bad” and “diet” which have negative connotations. The choices involved with managing diabetes are complicated and tiring enough. If these kids never heard these words, perhaps their experience living with diabetes would be that much easier. Who knows, but it seems worth a try.