Diabetes Type 1

Introduction

The ubiquity and increased awareness of type 2 diabetes has led to conflicting circumstances for sufferers of type 1 diabetes and their carers. On the one hand, increased interest into diabetes generally has provided some benefits from overlapping research into type 2 diabetes.

However, it has caused very real problems caused by uniformed public perception for the same group. It is a common error of many people to assume that the causes and treatments of both types of diabetes are the same.

Type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease. As harsh as it may seem in saying so, actions, or inactions of the sufferer have played the major role in contracting the disease.

Also, those who are suffering its effects are greatly able to mitigate the impact of their symptoms by making changes to their behaviors.

For type 1 sufferers, the cause is beyond their control. For reasons not fully yet understood, their pancreas stops manufacturing the essential insulin.

Once diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, an individual must commit to a lifetime of enhanced self-care, including self-administration of insulin.

Type 1 diabetes can occur at any stage of life, but is usually first diagnosed in childhood, most often around puberty. It is not a lifestyle disease, but it is a lifetime disease. By necessity, its impacts on sufferers and their families and cares are also life-changing.