When living with diabetes, it is essential to have friends or “diabuddies” who live with diabetes and thus experience life similar to you. Here are just a few of the many reasons friendships with your diabuddies are invaluable relationships:
- Developing diabetes community and supports
There is something so special about having connections with other people who also live with diabete. Getting connected with others who understand the daily challenges of diabetes can help minimize feelings of isolation and loneliness. - Finding empathy and understanding
Furthermore, others who also live with diabetes can easily understand how you are feeling and empathize, as they have quite possibly experienced the exact same things as you. Much like community, finding understanding and empathy reduces the sense of loneliness that can accompany diabetes. - Learning about diabetes management
Finding your diabuddies gives you the opportunity to see how other people manage their diabetes. This will allow you to learn new tips about diabetes managmeent with the help and support of others who have done this before. Once you start to find your groove, you can do the same for others and help those who are newer to their diabetes diagnosis figure it out. - You have an outlet
Your diabuddies may just be one of the best outlets you have when you are struggling with diabetes. Ideally, your community of diabuddies are supportive, giving you a space to feel whatever you are feeling and lending encouragement as you continue to figure out what thriving while living with diabetes looks like. - Space to share experiences
Although there are individual differences in how diabetes is experienced, most people with diabetes have similar experiences. These shared experiences contribute to community, and knowing that others are doing the same things as you can be encouraging and help you feel less alone in your experiences, even if they are different from some of your other peers.
Your community of diabuddies can be people of all ages and stages of their diabetes journey. It may consist of people you meet at a diabetes camp or program, people you already know, or even people you connect with through an online support group.
Take a few minutes today and let your diabuddies know how much you appreciate them!
