There are tons of patient-written diabetes blogs out there. For some reason, those created by people with type 2 diabetes are in the minority. Considering 90-95% of people diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, logically there should be at least 8-9 type 2 diabetes blogs for every type 1 blog. Right?
Instead, active type 2 blogs are as rare as cheap diabetes testing strips.
The original DiabeticMommy forum has over 9000 registered members. However, the majority of the socially active members are type 1 members. Where are the type 2′s? For some reason I envision images of type 2 members standing silent and lurking in the shadows behind a door like Boo Radley.
Do type 2 diabetics have an aversion to typing? Do we have it so together we don’t need any help but like to lurk? Do we disintegrate the moment our virtual thoughts hit a foreign computer screen? Or do we just not give a crap?
I’ve had type 2 diabetes for over 20 years, and I’m pretty sure I know the answer. The answer is that there is a stigma associated with being a person with type 2 diabetes. In a nutshell, society thinks we should be ashamed of ourselves. The general thought is that we bring this upon ourselves (do we?). In light of this, why should we feel we have any sort of credibility?
If one of us decides to blog about having type 2 diabetes, I think the expectation is that we should be a size 2, have perfect control, and train like an olympian. We need to provide unequivocal evidence that that we are making every human and non-human effort possible.
Carb cravings, weight gain, and fatigue–are these the symptoms or the causes of diabetes? This is debated. More research is coming out to support the symptom theory. But pshhhh, it doesn’t matter. This attitude is a form of discrimination. Who wants to subject themselves to discrimination or the possibility of taunting. Any takers?
This type of thinking makes it harder for us in our daily private, social, and professional lives. I’m not saying we can’t control diabetes and its symptoms. We can. However, without knowing that our bodies work against us and that it isn’t just a simple matter of motivation and self-control , people give up out of frustration and confusion.
Whether obesity is the cause or effect of type 2 diabetes, the most important thing to remember is that people end up in a situation where their bodies have become highly efficient fat-retaining machines. Click here to read more on this.
So, I’m coming out and embracing my type2ness, my extra pounds, and my imperfection. I hope this encourages others with type 2 diabetes to throw off the shame and become socially active online and speak up. I also hope this encourages others to re-think their beliefs about people with type 2 diabetes. I hope speaking up helps more people get in control of their diabetes.
