When you first get diabetes, it all seems a bit scary. You have to prick your finger lots of times a day and have insulin injections, there is so much to learn and so many new things you need to do. Once you start feeling better, you might think it is nice to be special and tell your friends all about what is happening to you.
After you come home and start doing all the things you usually do, suddenly you might think "oh no diabetes is not going to go away". This can change the way you feel, sometimes you might be:
Worried
You might worry about things like how you will go at school, what your friends will think, will you be able to do all the stuff that other kids do, like sport, camp and sleepovers? You might also be worried about your family and how they are dealing with the diabetes. These worries can make you feel like missing school or not doing things that you used to enjoy, like sport. It is okay to feel worried, but make sure you tell someone how you are feeling.
You might worry about things like how you will go at school, what your friends will think, will you be able to do all the stuff that other kids do, like sport, camp and sleepovers? You might also be worried about your family and how they are dealing with the diabetes. These worries can make you feel like missing school or not doing things that you used to enjoy, like sport. It is okay to feel worried, but make sure you tell someone how you are feeling.
Different
Sometimes diabetes can make you feel different from your friends - you have to do things like finger pricks and injections, always eat on time and think before you do everything. Remember, you are still the same person, you have just got to think about a few more things than your friends. Sometimes if you explain diabetes to them, you will usually find that they understand and diabetes will just be part of you and they will like you just the same. You can do things like show them your meter, show them pictures or a video. If you think they do not understand, talk to someone at home and think about having a grown up talk to your class about diabetes.
Sometimes diabetes can make you feel different from your friends - you have to do things like finger pricks and injections, always eat on time and think before you do everything. Remember, you are still the same person, you have just got to think about a few more things than your friends. Sometimes if you explain diabetes to them, you will usually find that they understand and diabetes will just be part of you and they will like you just the same. You can do things like show them your meter, show them pictures or a video. If you think they do not understand, talk to someone at home and think about having a grown up talk to your class about diabetes.
Sad or angry
A lot of kids with diabetes ask - "why has this happened to me?", "why won't it go away?", "did I do something bad to get diabetes?". This can make you feel sad or angry. You did not do anything to get diabetes, it is nobody's fault, it just happened. Imagine how you feel when you are sad or angry - you might frown, cry or feel like screaming, shouting and stamping your feet. It is okay to feel like this sometimes, but if you feel sad or angry all the time, it will not make diabetes any easier. It is a good idea to talk to someone at home or at clinic about why you are feeling like this - maybe they can help.
A lot of kids with diabetes ask - "why has this happened to me?", "why won't it go away?", "did I do something bad to get diabetes?". This can make you feel sad or angry. You did not do anything to get diabetes, it is nobody's fault, it just happened. Imagine how you feel when you are sad or angry - you might frown, cry or feel like screaming, shouting and stamping your feet. It is okay to feel like this sometimes, but if you feel sad or angry all the time, it will not make diabetes any easier. It is a good idea to talk to someone at home or at clinic about why you are feeling like this - maybe they can help.
Guilty
Sometimes you might feel guilty about having diabetes. You might feel that your family are upset about you having diabetes or you feel bad because they are spending more time with you than your brother or sister. Remember that diabetes is not your fault and that your family love you no matter what.
Sometimes you might feel guilty about having diabetes. You might feel that your family are upset about you having diabetes or you feel bad because they are spending more time with you than your brother or sister. Remember that diabetes is not your fault and that your family love you no matter what.
Embarrassed
Kids with diabetes can feel embarrassed by the extra attention they get because of diabetes. This can be things like having to do a test in class, an injection at school, treating a hypo in front of everyone or being asked "are you having a hypo?" Sometimes this makes you feel like you want to pretend everything is okay so that people will not look at you. No one likes to be embarrassed, but ignoring diabetes is not a good idea. It could be more embarrassing if you do things like ignore a hypo. Telling your friends and classmates about diabetes can make it less embarrassing – they will know why you have to do things at certain times and will get to know that it is part of what you have to do when you have got diabetes. You do not have to tell everyone but it is safer to tell someone.
Kids with diabetes can feel embarrassed by the extra attention they get because of diabetes. This can be things like having to do a test in class, an injection at school, treating a hypo in front of everyone or being asked "are you having a hypo?" Sometimes this makes you feel like you want to pretend everything is okay so that people will not look at you. No one likes to be embarrassed, but ignoring diabetes is not a good idea. It could be more embarrassing if you do things like ignore a hypo. Telling your friends and classmates about diabetes can make it less embarrassing – they will know why you have to do things at certain times and will get to know that it is part of what you have to do when you have got diabetes. You do not have to tell everyone but it is safer to tell someone.
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