# You Don’t Look Sick: ‘People make so many assumptions about me and my condition’



## Northerner (Jan 17, 2020)

Harry Edmanson, 28, from Devon, has type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where antibodies attack the pancreas and mean that it no longer produces the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar levels.

It differs from type 2 diabetes, which is often associated with diet and lifestyle, which means that the body still produces insulin but it is not enough or the body has become resistant to it. This type usually occurs in people over the age of 35.

Type 1 diabetes, however, is usually diagnosed in childhood. *Unlike type 2 diabetes, it does not happen because of lifestyle factors and cannot be prevented.

People with type 1 diabetes manage their condition by injecting insulin multiple times a day and learning to eat a lower sugar diet.

Speaking to Metro.co.uk for our You Don’t Look Sick series, Harry explains these misconceptions about diabetes can be very difficult to deal with.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/12/dont-look-sick-people-make-many-assumptions-condition-12043334/

*Of course, Type 2 is NOT always related to 'lifestyle factors' - common journalist's assumption


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## mikeyB (Jan 17, 2020)

Good grief. I’ve never considered myself “sick” because I have T1. It’s not like other invisible disabling conditions, because it isn’t disabling. I don’t include complications in that opinion, obviously. It doesn’t make it harder to manage diabetes if other folk have misconceptions, either. It might be annoying if you can bothered to get annoyed, but so is rain.


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## trophywench (Jan 17, 2020)

Having said that - Oooh yes we will BOTH use the 'disability thing' to our full advantage wherever there is any available - stuff like the Sunflower lanyards at airports etc.


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## Bloden (Jan 18, 2020)

I’m sure I’ve been described as ‘sick’ but for my sense of humour not my diabetes.


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## Ralph-YK (Jan 18, 2020)

I've not had people say I don't look sick. I've had family say "oh you're fine!" 
And someone I know once said about just loosing weight and curing T2.


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## Northerner (Jan 19, 2020)

No, I'm not sick, in fact I'm probably healthier than most of my peers who don't have diabetes  It's just something I have to deal with, and I'm fortunate to be able to find it very manageable on the whole


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