Everybody with diabetes will have at one time or another experienced a dose of the ‘food police’ from (normally misinformed) friends, family, etc.  However, for many people who developed diabetes as a child, the restrictions and scrutiny placed on their eating from a young age seem to foster an extraordinarily difficult relationship with food. 

Reality Check has received contribtuions from people with these experiences recently and would like to encourage people who feel similarly to help us get it out in the open so that this issue can finally be taken seriously by doctors and the food police alike.  

from Sarah
I am certain that having been told when, how much and what to eat, and having everybody around me checking up on me has led to my very twisted view of food.  I never ate when I was just hungry as a kid, or more importantly, never didn’t eat when I wasn’t hungry.  I actually had to teach myself what it felt like to be hungry, and to this day can confuse a weakness from low BSLs with normal hunger!  I now eat for all the wrong reasons and food’s constantly occupying my thoughts in one way or another and, quite frankly, I’ve got better things to worry about! 

Diabetic or not, there seems to be tremendous shame, misunderstanding and silence surrounding eating disorders.  It obviously effects my physical health quite seriously, let alone my mental health, so I have tried discussing it with my doctor.  I am at a point where I know what the problem is,  and want to fix it, but can’t.  I am sooo frustrated that noone will acknowledge I have an eating disorder and help me work through it. I have done everything short of storming into the doctor’s surgery screaming, “I have a problem with food, goddamit, help me!” 

It’s taken me a very long time to realise that I have a real problem and that it must be related to my diabetes, and I hope that anyone else going through this can come to some sort of relisation sooner than I did instead of enduring years of guilt and depression. 

I’ve heard a few hushed whispers from other people who have had similar experiences and maybe if we start talking about it openly, someone (doctors would be a good start) will acknowledge this problem as a serious consequence of having diabetes. 

from AmandaMiha
This newsletter is way overdue.  It is a fantastic idea and I’m sure many of us are relieved.  I’d like to take this opportunity to share my story in the hope to help other diabetics in a similar situation to mine which is not often discussed, that is dealing with diabetes and eating disorders. 

I have battled with binge eating for years.  Research has shown that 90% of binge eaters develop this behaviour after some sort of dieting or food restriction.  This is where I have made the connection: I am sure that the food restrictions placed on me as a diabetic contributed to my bingeing. 

When I was diagnosed with IDDM at age 10 in 1989, I was told that I was only allowed to have one sweet treat (like a chocky bar) no more than once a week and no fatty foods besides something like one meat pie a week.  Now, of course, things have changed and we can eat almost anything, but the guilt still lingers and is fuelled by the scrutiny that comes from everyone around me:  family, in-laws, friends, acquaintances, teachers, etc. Everyone seems to comment on what I eat.  “Should you be eating that?” “We better give you just a small slice.”  I think these comments often come from old fashioned stigmas about diabetes and also the media hype which surrounds Type 2 diabetes.  I feel this is responsible for a lot of the guilt I face which fuels my binge eating. 

For me it often happens in private.  It is a very lonely experience.  It too often pre-occupies my mind and interferes with study and my social life.  I even used to lie to my doctor about it.  Over the years, it has developed into a detrimental addiction and my health started to deteriorate as a result.  I don’t want other diabetics to have their lives controlled by food.  I really feel this issue needs to be brought forward and acknowledged. 

FOOD & DIABETES!  AAARGHHHH! 
Hello! My name is Zoe and I am 26 years of age. I've had diabetes since I was 14. Your page is terrific! Thank you!  I was very interested to read the comments about eating disorders. Food is something which constantly occupies my mind also and it drives me nuts! No one seems to know what I should do about it. I hate having to plan my life around when I will be able to eat, not to mention having to eat when I'm not even hungry! I could go on for hours, but what I'd really like is to speak with more people who have suffered this bizarre by-product of diabetes. Maybe we can work out a way to combat it?!?! 

Thanks, 
Zoe.