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I have met these friends and I feel left out

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Anonymous

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So at college I have met these new friends and last 2 nights we have started going out we went cinema last night and tonight we just walked around for abit. I am not use to going out socialising because my confidence was very low but this last year my confidence has grown so much. I am diabetic type 1 and the friends I have met like to go out drinking and I want to drink but I feel like the diabetes stops me from doing alot of things and if they drink alcohol then I will feel left out
 
It is really important that you don't miss out on life just because you have diabetes. Many diabetics drink, and so long as you take sensible precautions that will be fine. When I was a student a T1 diabetic was part of my circle of friends, and she learned to socialize quite normally - both drinking and eating out. You just have to make good choices, and be careful about monitoring. It is probably a good idea to explain all this to your friends - that way you shouldn't be under peer pressure to eat or drink more than is sensible and if you do have a hypo they will know what is going on, and hopefully will be able to help you.
 
I agree there is no reason you shouldn't be able to drink socially, getting completley wasted is somethign else and really nobody should be doing that.
When I drink I don't ever get to the point where I don't know what I'm doing. i will make sure I test and take my insulin when needed. My blood sugars are very bad when i drink, but I drink so infrequently that I can't perfect it.
 
Why do you have to feel left out just because you aren't drinking alcohol? Isnt it just as fun to be with your friends and having fun? If they know you are diabetic they should respect what you do. If they don't then ask yourself are they worth it.
 
I concur on the idea that you don't have to drink alcohol to have fun. I'm an old lady now (61 ) and have never enjoyed alcohol. My husband keeps trying to get me interested in wine, but I can't see the point of getting used to something i don't like first time. We DON'T NEED ALCOHOL. Enjoy your friends' company and have a glass of sparkling mineral water dressed up with ice and a slice of lemon. Indistinguishable from gin, when just looking. Or try something like a white wine spritzer. (white wine with fizzy water) VERY fashionable and pleasantly refreshing. Rose wine spritzer is SO pretty. Or there's tonic water, the low sugar kind of course! If your friends are real friends, as others have said. they will respect you for your friendship and company and not press you to do something you don't want to.
 
hya,
i dont drink at all and havent since i was around 20 due to meds even b4 i was diabetic,i have had so much fun with all my mates even when they were drunk,
in fact i find it funnier cos im sober and they are showing themselves up sometimes lol,you really dont have to be drinking to have a laugh,diabetic or not :D
 
hanadr said:
We DON'T NEED ALCOHOL.
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Of course no one needs alcohol - at least if you do then diabetes is the least of your problems! However, many people enjoy alcohol, and so long as you are sensible there is nothing wrong with that. The point that I was making is that you shouldn't let the diabetes define who you are. Decide who you want to be (and that includes drinker or non-drinker), and then work out a healthy lifestyle that will let you be that person.

If you want to have the whole student-drinking experience then go for it :D. I wouldn't have missed my student days for the world - I did many things and had many experiences and yes, a lot of beer was drunk. I didn't think much about lifestyles in those days, but as I said earlier one of my social group was a T1 who learned to manage the socializing quite effectively without damaging her health.
 
I'm in the same boat, of sorts. Except it's more of a third parties' choice, not mine. When i'm out with friends, they seem to think they're my parents and disallow me from drinking. It's more the lack of trust that annoys me!
 
It is human nature to be protective towards your friends. If you know that one of them has a serious medical condition, then it is quite natural to look out for them. However, this sort of "help" is often misplaced - if you are overprotective towards people it can either alienate them or cause dependence - either of which are bad.

I suggest that you need to be firm with your friends. Talk to them about your diabetes (it is amazing how much ignorance there is out there) and explain to them how you manage it. However, you should make it absolutely clear to them that you make your own choices - about drinking or with anything else.
 
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