Breaking free from the stigma of diabetes
Stigma has tangible consequences for clinical outcomes, quality of life, and wellbeing of people with living with diabetes, says Jazz Sethi Have you ever felt the cold prickle of eyes staring at you as they silently pass judgment? Stigma is a term that carries the weight of unsaid words. And while the Oxford Dictionary might define it neatly, its repercussions are messier and more tangible in daily life. I come from India, a land rich in contrasts. This land of astronauts and farmers, of tech moguls and street vendors, often finds itself entangled in webs of age-old traditions. Within these traditions, the shadow of stigma looms large—the weight of “log kya kahenge?” which translates as “What will people say?” In my India, type 1 diabetes isn’t just a medical term, it’s spoken about by many both privately and publicly as a “kalank” or “stain” on society. Diabetes is seen as a supposed flaw, and type 1 diabetes carries greater stigma than type 2. The hushed discussions and the fleeting