11 Unhelpful Phrases To Avoid Saying To Someone With Diabetes

“Is It The Mild Form?”

Never say this to someone with either type of diabetes because it stems from a popular myth. A common misconception about type 2 diabetes is that it is a milder form of diabetes than type 1 diabetes. However, this is incorrect. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin it produces does not work correctly. In comparison, type 1 diabetes occurs when the body makes little to no insulin. Type 2 diabetes often goes undetected for several years whereas type 1 diabetes can have a sudden onset. If not managed well, both types of diabetes can produce life-threatening complications, such as stroke, amputation, blindness, heart failure, and kidney disease.