Feelings

Many teens deal with type 2 diabetes every day. Most 

of the time, it’s not a problem for them. But sometimes,

they just want it to go away.

Do you ever...

e Ask “why me?”

e Think you’re the only one who feels sad, mad, alone,

afraid, or different?

e Get tired of others teasing you if you are over

weight?

e Blame yourself or your family for your diabetes?

All of these feelings are normal. Lots of teens who

have diabetes feel the same way. It’s okay to get angry, 

feel sorry for yourself, or think you’re different 

every now and then. But then you need to take charge 

and do something to feel better.

Everyone feels down sometimes.

You’re not alone. 

Still down? 

Reach out for help. Talk to someone in your family

or where you worship, an older friend, a school 

counselor, or your doctor or diabetes educator.

It might help to write down your feelings in a journal.

If you still feel down or sad, ask your parents to help 

you find a counselor.

It’s okay to ask for help.

Stay Cool. 

There are many people who care about you and who

want to help you stay healthy and happy. Your health

care team (doctor, diabetes educator, social worker,

nurse, and dietitian) can help you learn how to eat

right, be more active, and feel good about yourself. 

Stay in touch with them.

It’s all about you! Let your health care 

team know how you feel and what 

you need. 

Dealing With the Ups 

and Downs of Diabetes

This tip sheet was created to help young people with type 2 diabetes feel OK about themselves 

and their diabetes. Use it to help deal with the ups and downs of diabetes. Talk to others. 

Involve your family and your health care team. Get support from other teens who have diabetes. 

Most important: take action to control your diabetes—one step at a time. 
Mom, Dad, Get With It!

It’s easier to manage diabetes when the whole

family works at it with you. So...

e Get everyone eating well. Ask your family to 

eat the same healthy foods you eat — fruits, 

vegetables, whole grain breads, and low-fat 

meats, milk, cheese, and snacks — such as 

popcorn without butter. Ask them to keep 

healthy foods in the house, and not to tempt 

you with cookies, cake, candy, and soda.

e Get everyone moving by being more active. 

Play hard. Shoot hoops, play ball, ride bikes, 

go for a walk — together.

e Being active helps you to lower stress and 

become more healthy.

What’s healthy for you is healthy 

for everyone in your family!

Let Your School Know What’s Up.

Let people at your school know you have type 2 

diabetes and that you need to eat healthy foods,

take your meals or medicine on time, and be

active. Include the teachers, nurses, bus drivers,

counselors, coach, and cafeteria lunch room staff.

Don’t let diabetes stop you! You can do

the things everyone else does. 

Still My Friend? 

Ever worry that your friends get wrong ideas

about diabetes? 

e Tell them that you have diabetes. You don’t 

have to keep it a secret. The more people 

know about diabetes the more they will 

understand. Explain that your body needs 

help to use the food you eat.

e Be sure everyone knows that no one can 

catch diabetes from you.

e Good friends help each other out. If you have 

friends who help you choose healthy foods 

when you’re all eating out, hang on to them. 

Ever have kids tease you about your 

diabetes or your weight? Teasing hurts.

The best thing is to just walk away.

Want to Meet Other Teens 

Who Feel Like You Do?

e Look for a hospital, clinic, or health center 

near you that offers programs for teens with 

type 2 diabetes.

e Head for a diabetes or weight loss summer 

camp. You will do all the things that other 

campers do: swim, hike, dance, and more. But 

the best part is that everyone has diabetes or is

trying to lose weight just like you.

e Find a support group near you. Meetings can 

be a lot of fun and you will meet others who 

are dealing with the same things you are.

e Find a pen pal or e-mail buddy.

e Check out the list of websites on the last page.

Some groups have funds to help teens 

attend summer camps.
Action! 

It’s time for YOU to do something about your 

diabetes care.

e Set goals to target what you will do. Start 

small and work your way up. For example: 

“I will cut down on sodas and drink water 

instead.” When that’s going well...take the 

next step. Add another goal — “I will dance 

or bike ride a couple of times a week.” Then 

add a new goal — “I will eat smaller servings 

of cookies, burgers, and fries.”

e Try to make each new goal just a bit harder. 

After you shoot hoops twice a week, try 

adding another activity on three other days. 

Raise the goal until you reach a level that 

works for you.

e Avoid goals that will be too hard to meet. For 

example, rather than saying you’ll never eat a 

burger or a candy bar again, say you’ll eat only 

one a week.

e Reward yourself when you reach your goal! 

Do something or buy something you like.

e Tell your family or friends about your goals. 

Maybe they’ll be active with you or help out 

some other way.

Choose goals that you can really meet. 

Write down your top three goals. 

Put in the date when you set the goal and when you met it.

1.

Date set: Date met:

2.

Date set: Date met:

3.

Date set: Date met:

WTake it one step 

at a time and soon 

you’ll see progress.

Got It. 

Over time, you will feel good about yourself if you 

manage your diabetes by eating healthy foods, being

more active, and working towards a healthier weight. 

It’s up to you. Don’t blame things on your diabetes. 

Take it one step at a time and soon you’ll see progress.
More Good Ideas for 

Dealing with Diabetes

Tip Sheets:

Get free copies of other tip sheets for teens with

type 2 diabetes. 

e What Is Diabetes? 

e Be Active.

e Stay at a Healthy Weight.

e Eat Healthy Foods. 

ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth.htm or 

1-800-438-5383 

Pen Pals: 

e www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/kids

e www.diabetesportal.com/teentalk/penpals.htm

e http://kids.jdrf.org or 1-800-223-1138 at the 

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Write to: Diabetes Forecast Pen Pal Coordinator

P.O. Box 675, Gainesville, VA 20156

Camps and Other Resources:

Check out the camps for teens with type 2 

diabetes. 

e www.diabetescamps.org/type2camps.html 

Search online to find “Parks and Recreation Youth

Programs” in your state.

For more information

about diabetes from the 

National Diabetes Education Program: 

1-800-438-5383

www.ndep.nih.gov

Special thanks to the teens who helped us make 

this tip sheet and to Marcia Mazur, past editor 

of Diabetes Forecast, for her ideas.

Other Websites:

American Diabetes Association (ADA):

Check out the youth zone website at 

http://youthzone.diabetes.org.

Find your local ADA at: www.diabetes.org/local

or 1-888-342-2383

Bam! Body and Mind: 

Feeling stressed, tense, or under pressure? 

Check out 10 tips to help keep your cool at

www.bam.gov/head_strong/top10Coping.htm

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes

Education Program (NDEP) is jointly sponsored by the National Institutes

of Heath (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

with the support of more than 200 partner organizations.

NIH Publication No. 04-5558 August 2005

WOver time, you will 

feel good about yourself if 

you manage your diabetes by 

eating healthy foods, being more 

active, and working towards 

a healthier weight.