The Blame Game

Diabetes Blog Week Day 3 – The Blame Game

I have never really experienced any blame being aimed towards me from my GP or any HCP for that matter. I would like to think that they are better than that. Come to think of it I have never really had blame aimed at me from anybody else apart from myself.

I Blamed Myself To Begin With

Blame and a diabetes diagnosis go hand in hand. When I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes it was life changing. The actual theory of how to manage my diabetes wasn’t a problem – I understood that. Many hours of reading and research brought my levels to where I wanted them to be within a couple of months. What I really struggled with for quite some time was the diabetes blame game. That constant thought that it was something I did that bought on this condition, after all I am the only one in my immediate family with this. 

 

Why Me???

That was the million dollar question for a few months. I had a big list running through my mind, tons of possible causes, all of them my fault. That is a hard thing to deal with on a mental level, it really starts to wear you down. I knew within a few months though that life is life and you have to live with the hand you are dealt.

 

 

Blame
Why did I get Diabetes?

 

Reasons I Got Diabetes 1,2,3…….

Was Alcohol The Cause Behind My Diagnosis?

The day before my symptoms really came out I had a BBQ at my house. A lot of alcohol was consumed and then my symptoms started the next day. I had small symptoms in the weeks previous but the BBQ excesses really kicked it off. Even although I discussed this with the DSN and was assured it wasn’t the cause it really played on my mind. Did a binge drink cause Type 1 diabetes?

 

Was It The Change In Lifestyle 3 Years Before Diagnosis?

2 Years prior to T1D coming into my life I was a bit of a porker, a 17.5 stone porker in fact. I decided in 2012 to take up a healthy diet and exercise plan. This worked really well and I managed to lose 4 stone through sheer commitment and determination.fat me skinny me

Did this big weight loss cause type 1 diabetes?

 

Did Stopping My Exercise Regime Have An Effect?

Once I had met my goal weight the inevitable happened and I let the exercise regime slip. Only a little bit of weight went back on luckily. Even so did a change in my activity levels cause my diabetes?

 

Was My Poor Diet To Blame For It?

Throughout my late teens and early twenties my diet consisted of 4 or 5 takeaway meals a week. That’s what happens if you move out of the hotel of Mum and Dad at 17. Every once in a while I might get some vegetables in my diet, if I went to Mum’s  for dinner. All of that ended 8 years before diagnosis though when I met and moved in with my wife. Could that poor diet have caused Type 1 diabetes years later?

 

Did I Eat Too Many Sweets As A Child?

As a kid I loved my sweets, but then again all kids love sweets right! As silly as it is I was even thinking this could have been the cause of my diabetes.

And The Reality Is……

Nobody knows. It is as simple as that, there is no definitive reason anybody gets Type 1 diabetes. Many many studies have taken place to find the reasons behind a diagnosis. Genetics plays a big part, a viral infection could be to blame, even drinking cows milk as an infant has been put in the spotlight. Notice that none of the thoughts I was having are in the usual suspects for causes of Type 1 diabetes.

➡ NHS Reasons for T1  – Even the NHS state ”It’s not known exactly what triggers the immune system to do this”

In all honesty I have made peace with the fact I have Type 1 diabetes, in fact I embrace it now, it is a part of who I am. I know a phrase which sums up why I got diabetes perfectly

”S**t happens”

Blame
And not always for any reason

 

Did you have feelings of guilt? Did you blame yourself for your diagnosis? Please do share views in the comments section below or email me Bri@type1bri.com

 

Anyway for now

Take care and I didn’t swear

Type1Bri
 

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9 thoughts on “The Blame Game

  • Blame is a terrible thing! I know I tortured myself about my dodgy gene pool, my chocolate addiction, my innate slothfulness and many more theories when my son was diagnosed. Look at you though and your amazing life. You inspire and support so many people!

  • I thought about a couple of things but was lucky in that the Endocrinologist at the Hospital where I was treated after diagnosis, was one of the leading researchers and he quickly told me that the latest thinking was that some sort of virus seemed to be the trigger, so I soon stopped blaming myself and that was 35 years ago!

    • Thanks for the comment Cath, I stopped searching a long time ago for the causes behind my diagnosis too!!

  • Linda Pierce

    I know exactly where you are coming from Brian! I too worried about whether it was the way I ate, yo-yo dieting through my 30s and 40s that was to blame for my type 1 diagnosed in my 50s. I do wonder though, whether a virus infection was a factor causing my diabetes.

    • Thanks for the comment Linda
      I think we all have these thoughts from time to time. Must admit I have made peace with my T1D and have stopped thinking ”Why” these days 🙂

  • we all wonder why…..it is human nature. I love your thoughts about making peace with diabetes. I think after 38 years I have made peace with it a long time ago.You must in order to get on with living life

  • I completely understand where you are coming from. I was misdiagnosed as a Type 2 first and, sad to say, it very much is a blame game with Type 2.

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