Alex McIntyre, the MP for Gloucester, shares his experience of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and reflects on diabetes stigma that he's experienced.
Growing up I was really active, playing competitive rugby and training almost every day. But once I went off to university and then started working, I found myself moving less and eating more. I piled on the pounds.
After feeling increasingly tired (something which I had put down to the long hours I work as a Member of Parliament), I made an appointment to get myself checked out by my GP.
When I got to my appointment, I had to push my GP to test for diabetes as they thought I was too young to have developed it. I was later diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of just 32. I found out via my health record on the NHS App.
At first, I felt pretty ashamed. Like my GP, I didn’t really think young people could have type 2 diabetes. I blamed myself for not taking heed of the warning signs as my weight crept up over the years, failing to really commit to various diets from Joe Wicks to Slimming World.
However, working together with Diabetes UK over the last year a lot of my misconceptions have been challenged.
I found out that the number of young people living with type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically over the past few years. I discovered that the causes of diabetes are complex, not one size fits all.
Unfortunately, misinformation and stigma can affect the way healthcare professionals approach diabetes. It slows down diagnosis and stops people accessing treatment.
People living with diabetes can also experience negative comments from their closest friends and family, which has a devastating impact on self-confidence and causes people to internalise shame around their health.
As a Member of Parliament, I am determined to use my experience to break down diabetes stigma working together with Diabetes UK.
We need better support across society, including in the workplace. We need to tackle misinformation in the media. We need to educate healthcare professionals so they recognise the challenges of living with diabetes. We need to help our family and friends understand how they can support us.
Nobody chooses diabetes. It is a complex condition and ultimately everyone has a different experience. Blame and shame help no one, but tackling stigma can deliver healthier and happier future.
We're working to strike out blame and judgement through education and attitude change. Read more about our Strike Out Stigma campaign.
