Thanks Ginger for writing this!  I hope that many teens that access this site will read it and take it to heart.  I have been hesitant to let my 14-year old son read the postings on diabeteens because so many of them involve teens who are taking a completely opposite approach from yours.  I understand that is reality and they need to reach out for help, but I find it discouraging that so many are in denial and actually making their health so much worse by not handling their condition.  When my son was diagnosed at 12, my advice to him was "If you take the attitude that this 'stinks', then life will 'stink'!  If you look at it as just having a few extra steps to take each day, then diabetes will not stop you from doing anything you want to do."  So far he has handled it exceptionally well.

Ginger Vieira, Health Guide

2/12/09 11:15am

hi!

 

Thanks for posting. Just an idea on your hesitation to let your son read the site because of distraught teens, but the teens who post are posting because they're often ready to ask for help, not because they're trying to encourage a bad attitude. It's a place to vent, to be heard, to say "This is reallly freaking hard!!!" And once a person can do that, they can start to move past that, but they've gotta be willing to break down and ask for help first!

 

Sounds like your son is doing a great job! If it seems like he's struggling at some point in his life, I would suggest not just focusing on trying to help him take better care of himself, but give him a chance to say, "I'm struggling because.... I'm exhausted, I'm tired of this, I'm angry, I need help."

 

Ginger