Telling friends
Mutual support
The biggest hurdle might be who to tell about your diabetes and how to tell them.
Show and tell
You might think that your friends won’t want to know you now you have diabetes. This is incredibly unlikely.
Diabetes is nothing to be ashamed of or to hide. Tell your friends about this website – perhaps look at it with them, so they can find out all about diabetes and how you look after it.
Doing a blood test or an injection when you tell people might be a good idea: they may be interested, especially when they find out that the 'needle' isn’t really six feet long.
Set them straight
Your friends might know nothing about diabetes, or they may have some ideas about it that are completely inaccurate. Once you’ve started to tell them about your diabetes, they will be keen to learn more.
There for you
When you’re newly diagnosed, you might want a bit of help and support to adjust to having diabetes. Friends can be great with this. If you tell them about what a hypo is and how it affects you, they’ll be able to help you out if you have one.
Other support
At times you won't even feel like talking to your friends about what's happening or how you feel. Remember your teachers are there to turn to as well, and in turn you should keep them informed about your diabetes. And don't forget there are always people there to help if you are being bullied.
Think positive
Don’t think that your diabetes puts you at a disadvantage. If you do, everyone else will. You’ve got used to your diabetes and so will your friends. No big deal.
Georgia's story
"Your friends will always be there to support you."
Georgia's story