November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, which aims to advocate for those with diabetes by providing resources and support to motivate all Americans to seek out testing for preventative measures, use tools to manage the disease, and fight for a cure. Unfortunately, the negative effects of diabetes go beyond the risk of physical complications, and it is commonly found that individuals with diabetes report depression as a result of their disease. This is linked to a stigma that is often associated with people battling diabetes. Stigma around the disease stems from a lack of education, misconceptions, and myths. This post aims to spread awareness by providing information to shut down the stigma, address and debunk common myths, provide ways to reduce the risk of the disease, and call others to action. According to the American Diabetes Association, as of 2025, around 38 million individuals are affected by diabetes. Diabetes is complex and unique, impacting each individual differently. In simple terms, diabetes is high blood glucose levels due to the body’s inability to produce or use insulin properly. Through misinformation, many people associate high blood glucose solely with diet and physical health. While these are factors in preventing and controlling the disease, there are many other causes. Type 2 diabetes is primarily the result of insulin resistance due to factors such as diet, excess weight, lack of exercise, hormones, genetics, and some medications.2
Autoimmune diseases are correlated with the cause of type 1 diabetes, damaging cells that produce the insulin hormone in the pancreas. Hormone imbalances causing insulin resistance, damage directly to the pancreas, and genetic mutations are all causes of diabetes that are out of people’s control and are commonly overlooked in discussions around the disease.2
Individuals who struggle with diabetes often also deal with other negative implications of elevated blood glucose over a long period of time. This includes nerve damage, coronary artery disease, heart attack, kidney failure, blindness, and strokes.2 To prevent these complications from presenting, health care workers encourage the use of insulin injections, insulin pumps, oral medications such as Metformin, a blood glucose monitor, and intentionality with diet and exercise. It is estimated that 1 in 5 people who have diabetes are unaware that they have it. This increases these individuals’ risk of long-term complications associated with the disease, as they are not educated about the tools to manage it in a preventative stage.
It is advised that everyone, regardless of their medical or family history, pursue the proper tests to diagnose diabetes. This is done using a variety of blood glucose tests that provide different measurements of blood sugar levels. An A1C test measures blood glucose levels over a span of months. A fasting blood glucose test is a good indicator of someone’s blood sugar levels without food consumption affecting the measurement. Also, random blood glucose tests can be done at any time. As will be discussed later in this post, there are resources available that provide access to free blood glucose tests, especially throughout November.
Stigma
A quantitative study done by the diaTribe Foundation found, through the use of an online survey, that out of 12,000 people with diabetes, “a majority of respondents with type 1 (76%) or type 2 (52%) diabetes reported that diabetes comes with a stigma” (Liu et al.,2017). Stigma can be defined as shame towards an individual or group of people that leads to negative generalizations and/or discrimination. Experiencing stigma has been known to be a major psychological influence for people who battle chronic diseases, such as diabetes, and contributes to reported depression and anxiety among these individuals. Additionally, health care providers have noted that the effects of stigma have caused some patients to be hesitant to take proper care for themselves, such as by taking insulin or monitoring their glucose, because of negative associations that society has placed around the illness.1
There are so many people around us who are affected by this disease and, unfortunately, in turn, negatively impacted by the stigma that comes with it. With this being said, we must make it a priority to advocate for our loved ones battling with diabetes. This is important throughout the year, but especially throughout November, which is dedicated to raising awareness and providing support for those with the disease. By taking the initiative to seek out information, educate ourselves, and others, we can work towards shutting down the stigma.
Shutting Down the Stigma
The following are ways that we can take initiative this month and every month to shut down the shame and stigma that are commonly associated with having diabetes:
- Be mindful of the power behind your words and thoughts
- The Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT) suggests that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all connected. CBT is often used in psychological therapy practices to treat PTSD by rewiring the brain to perceive traumatic events differently. Though this same theory is applicable when considering the emotional processes that go into developing assumptions and stereotypes. As humans, we are easily influenced by the words we hear, experiences we have, and our feelings about those experiences, which then, in turn, influence our behaviors towards other people or groups of people. Considering this idea, it is critical that we actively work to rewire our brains away from any negative preconceived assumptions about people with diabetes. Through listening to our friends’ and families’ stories, learning the facts, and understanding the complexities, we can change the way we think about diabetes to ultimately improve our behavior towards those battling the disease.
- Understand and acknowledge the effort that goes into fighting the continuous battle that is diabetes
- Similar to the idea of Cognitive Behavioral Theory, by educating ourselves and being receptive to hearing others’ stories, we will gain insight into the strength and resilience that those who battle diabetes hold. Diabetes is a never-ending battle; it is not easy and takes a lot of effort to manage, control, and prevent. By recognizing this, we have the power to create a positive environment, making those who have diabetes feel heard and better supported.
- Use your voice to advocate
- Don’t be afraid to speak up when you hear or see things that could be shameful or offensive. This is imperative to stopping the stigma!
- Be intentional in treating those who struggle with diabetes no differently than anyone else.
- No disease should define a person or make someone behave any differently around them.
- Ask how you can best support your friends and family living with diabetes
- For those who do have diabetes, be confident and comfortable in sharing your personal journey and story because it helps create a positive and transparent environment for others to do the same.
Using Education to Shut Down Myths
Earlier in this post, I mentioned the complexities of diabetes and that the disease is caused by various factors unique to each individual. With this being said, the American Diabetes Association addresses the common myth that all people who are overweight will develop diabetes. They debunk this idea by acknowledging that although it is a risk factor for developing the disease, there are other factors, such as diet, genetics, hormones, physical activity, medications, and ethnicity, that correlate. In fact, most individuals who have diabetes are considered to be at a normal weight or only slightly overweight. 3
Other common misconceptions are related to diet and questions raised about specific foods that should or should not be eaten if you have diabetes. The American Diabetes Association suggests that people who have diabetes should prioritize a healthy and balanced diet that includes “non-starchy vegetables, limit added sugars, swap refined grains for whole grains, and prioritize whole foods” (American Diabetes Association), but generally, this looks no different from any other healthy eating advice recommended for every person.
They continue by highlighting specific food groups such as carbs, starchy foods, and sweets such as chocolate, and the effects of eating them with diabetes. Specific to carbs, the American Diabetes Association claims that there is no real evidence indicating that people with diabetes should completely restrict carbs. There is evidence, however, recommending that carbs, proteins, and fats should all be eaten in conjunction with a balance of each that is unique to individual needs in order to manage blood sugar.3 Similarly, starchy foods should not necessarily be avoided completely, but their carb content will raise blood glucose, so incorporating them with other foods and paying attention to portions is key. The same goes for the incorporation of sweets. A dietitian can help to recommend desserts that align with a person’s preferences.
Reducing the Risks Through Preventive Lifestyle Changes
Below is a list of preventative measures provided by The Cleveland Clinic that can be taken to reduce the risks of diabetes:
- Eat a balanced diet
- There is no need to entirely cut out food groups from your diet, but paying attention to portions of foods that will raise blood glucose and combining higher carb foods with a balanced meal can help maintain more stable blood sugar levels. Also, eating consistently helps stabilize blood sugars.
- Aim for 30 minutes of physical movement a day.
- Prioritize doing activities that lower stress levels.
- Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night.
- Limit alcohol intake.2
Finally, if you have not been diagnosed with diabetes, seek out testing. Organizations such as the American Red Cross offer free A1C testing throughout November to blood donors. Take advantage of these resources in an effort to prevent long-term complications that result from living with undiagnosed diabetes.
References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Diabetes stigma. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/articles/diabetes-stigma.html
2. Diabetes. Cleveland Clinic. (2025, October 20). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/7104-diabetes
3. Know your facts about diabetes. Know Your Facts About Diabetes | American DiabetesAssociation. (n.d.). https://diabetes.org/about-diabetes/diabetes-myths
4. Liu, N. F., Brown, A. S., Folias, A. E., Younge, M. F., Guzman, S. J., Close, K. L., & Wood, R. (2017, January). Stigma in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Clinical diabetes: a publication of the American Diabetes Association.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5241772/
