Diabetes and Privacy

Having diabetes is a personal issue. Many people are able to manage their diabetes and do not feel they need to tell others about their medical condition.

To assist with medical emergencies, a medical identification bracelet or necklace should be worn if the person is on insulin or diabetes tablets. This enables medical professionals to quickly identify any medical emergency and to treat it promptly.

Privacy must be respected.

However, it is recommended that key people in their lives should be told if the person with diabetes requires support from others. This is especially important if they are at risk of hypoglycemia.


Understanding Diabetes
How Food gives the Body Energy


flow chart describing what happens when you eat food


What Happens to the Body with Diabetes?

Sometimes people do not have enough insulin or the insulin they do have is not working properly.

This means the insulin can't help the body use glucose for energy. The glucose stays in the blood instead of getting into the cells.

When this happens the blood glucose becomes too high and blood glucose levels go up. This can cause a lot of damage.

Sometimes this damage means the blood vessels get weak and begin leaking.

Sometimes the blood vessels become blocked, which can lead to long-term complications.

Leaky or blocked blood vessels can cause heart attacks, strokes, blindness and for some people may mean amputations.


Diabetes and its Effect on People

Diabetes can be frustrating and stressful for everybody involved - the person with diabetes, their family and friends, their colleagues, their flat-mates and their other carers.

When a person is first diagnosed with diabetes they are given a lot of information. It seems that this 'diabetes' will rule the person's life. Even if the person follows all the instructions there is still the threat of long-term complications.

Everybody reacts differently when they are told they have diabetes. It is common for people to feel overwhelmed, anxious and scared at first.

The person who has just been told they have diabetes often faces major changes in their lifestyle. They may have to increase their exercise levels and rethink their food habits.

Some people follow their doctor's advice and some people ignore it.

The person with diabetes and intellectual disability can become angry because they have diabetes. It means that their life is monitored more closely and there are more visits to health professionals and changes in their lifestyle.

They may feel they are missing out on things that others can do.

In turn, their siblings, or people they share their accommodation with, may feel jealous because the person is receiving more attention.

Comments from people with intellectual disability about how they feel about having diabetes

  •     "I wish I didn't have it"
  •     "Stops you doing things"
  •     "Makes you very slow, lethargic, no energy"
  •     "Nothing is easy"
  •     "I think it's a bit of a bummer but I have it, so I just have to live with it, can't change anything"

    People who do not have intellectual disability but have diabetes feel the same way about it.

    Comments from carers about supporting people with diabetes:

  •     "I feel overwhelmed by the whole thing"
  •     "I get scared that the person may go into a hypo"
  •     "I am worried about doing all the diabetes procedures right"
  •     "I get angry that other people don't believe that diabetes is any big deal and don't follow the procedures"
  •     "What do I do when the person won't follow their diet or exercise?"
  •     " Have I done anything wrong?"
  •     " Have I monitored closely enough?"
  •     " You are questioning from meal to meal"

Diabetes and Reducing Anxiety

If managing diabetes becomes difficult, support is available.

The doctor, the medical diabetes specialist, the diabetes educator, the dietician, the podiatrist and the eye specialist can all give professional advice.

It is important to be well informed about diabetes. Everybody's diabetes situation is individual.

It is best only to take advice the doctor and/or diabetes heath care team.


Diabetes and Stress

When a person with diabetes feels stressed, blood glucose levels can rise.

Having high blood glucose levels for a long time can lead to complications. If stress is an ongoing issue it needs to be addressed.

Some common symptoms of stress are headaches, irritability, back pain, anxiety, grinding teeth, interrupted sleep, tension in the muscles and heartburn.


Managing Stress

Everyone has their own way of managing stress. Some ideas for de-stressing include:

  •     Listening to music or relaxation tapes
  •     Dancing
  •     Walking in a favourite place
  •     Reading a bookConsider how the Person with Diabetes Feels about having Diabetes
  •     Having personal counselling



Write down what can you do to reduce the anxiety, stress or frustration?




Consider how the Person with Diabetes Feels about having Diabetes.


smiley face                                neutral face                                 sad face

   Good                                      OK                                        Not good

  • Being constantly reminded about their diabetes
  • Having regular blood glucose tests
  • Having to take diabetes medication or insulin
  • Having to eat healthy food most of the time
  • Having to exercise regularly
  • Having regular health checks
  • Watching others eat what they want




Write down the support that is in place to help the person cope emotionally with the issues that make them anxious, stressed or frustrated: