Some kids abuse their insulin because they actually enjoy it. Of course, if you forget or don't monitor your sugar or get distracted, you put yourself in a very vulnerable position. You can have a severe reaction that lands you unconscious, in a diabetic coma or even worse. Maybe they are struggling with normal issues of being a teen. With diabetes, they might also be dealing with the reality of lifelong responsibilities they face, says Yasuda.
Many kids really get very sad.
In rare instances, kids with diabetes will use insulin to attempt suicide by either giving themselves too much or, over the long term, giving themselves the inappropriate dosage. You've heard the drill about high blood sugar and the eventual consequences, including kidney damage and blindness. But a recent study shows that this damage isn't just to old people. It can occur even before you go to college. The study, published last June in the New England Journal of Medicine, tracked 91 teenagers ages 12 to 18.