Joyce’s story: It’s important to challenge common assumptions

In 2000, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes while expecting my third child. My diagnosis was towards the end of my pregnancy, and then my glucose levels returned to normal after my baby was born, so I didn’t have any further symptoms of diabetes. 

Then about 10 years ago, following a visit to the doctor and some blood tests, I was told I had type 2 diabetes, and I’ve been trying to manage my condition since then.

My clinicians advised me to try to lose some weight to help manage my diabetes, but not long after I was also diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. 

That’s made losing weight really difficult, and honestly, it can be quite frustrating. I’ve learned that managing diabetes isn’t as simple as ‘eat this, don’t eat that’ or ‘just lose a few pounds.’ There are often other health issues going on that make things more complicated. Type 2 diabetes is a complex condition with multiple risk factors.

Understanding how my thyroid affects my metabolism has helped me see things differently and be a bit kinder to myself. Everyone’s experience with diabetes is unique, and it’s so important to remember that – there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. A little more understanding and less judgment can go a long way.

I often feel stigmatised by the pressure to lose weight and by the assumption that my weight was the reason for my diabetes. For years, I struggled to better manage my condition, and it was hard not to feel like I was failing.

Through my own experiences – and through my work in community health – I became a Diabetes Champion.  That role helped me learn so much more about my diabetes and about the condition in general.

People would often say things like, ‘You must be big because you have diabetes’ and hearing those comments again and again really affected how I felt about myself. What many don’t realise is that there can be other health, genetic, and environmental factors involved. 

Not everyone who has diabetes is living with overweight. From the health checks we’ve done with different people, I’ve seen first-hand that weight is not always a factor.

Wider community

In some diverse communities, diabetes isn’t talked about much, often because people don’t fully understand the condition, how to manage it, or why medication is so important. 

This lack of conversation can make it feel isolating for those living with diabetes and can sometimes lead to misunderstandings about the condition. By opening up these discussions, sharing experiences, and providing clear information, we can help break the stigma and make it easier for everyone to manage their health with confidence and without the fear of being judged.

To help strike out the stigma around diabetes it’s important to challenge common assumptions and understand that anyone can develop the condition.  Diabetes can be hereditary and many other factors beyond diet play a role. The key is to stay informed, ask questions, and make sure you understand what’s happening in the management of your diabetes.

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Reach out for support

If you are affected by the topics highlighted within this story or other stories on our website, you can access support from our helpline team on 0345 122 2399, Mon- Fri, 9am- 6pm, or email helpline@diabetes.org.uk.

You can join our free support forum – to connect with others affected by diabetes (minimum age 13). For more information, see forum FAQs.

For those aged 11-25 living with type 1 diabetes, check out our youth programme Together Type 1 for a supportive community of people who understand what it’s really like juggling the ups and downs of life with diabetes.