Diabetes and social media: Making connections and keeping perspective

When approached properly, diabetes and social media can be a match made in heaven. Pairing a condition that requires daily maintenance with a communication medium that allows for constant updates isn't with its potential pitfalls, but it can be a recipe for success! In fact, studies have shown that peer support — especially in online communities — can provide the emotional boost that makes any diabetes burden feel lighter.

Online engagement with the diabetes community can be an incredibly valuable aspect of your life journey with the condition, as long as you strike the right balance. Here's a look at some of the advantages and potential issues, as well as tips for keeping a healthy perspective on social media and diabetes.

The good

Social media has been an intensely powerful tool for people living with diabetes. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and countless others have been instrumental in helping individuals with diabetes make connections beyond their own regions, showing them that they are not alone with diabetes. Instead of feeling isolated, you may find yourself becoming part of an enormous, diverse and thriving community.

Want to find a singer, actress or journalist with diabetes? They're sharing their stories on social media. Looking for advocacy efforts, policy changes and healthcare resources for people living with diabetes? Social media has you covered there, too.

And if you're looking for personal diabetes narratives, you can find those by the thousands on social media! People with diabetes are sharing their stories and making "talking about diabetes" part of the collective narrative. This helps normalize diabetes, and that normalization can really make a positive difference in emotional health.

The union of diabetes and social media has helped millions of people with the condition see that they are not alone. It has helped instill confidence and a sense of community — and the shared stories become part of an influential narrative that reshapes how society sees diabetes. There's a lot of power in patients telling their stories. Don't be afraid to share your experiences!

The bad

As with most things in life, moderation is key. While social media can provide an amazing venue to connect with and learn from others, there can be some real downsides to engaging in digital platforms.

Remember that just because something is posted on the internet doesn't make it true. It's important to not treat what you read online as medical advice! Diabetes-related medical information should not be dispensed by tweets, Instagram stories or Facebook posts. Always consult with your doctor for medical advice. A "real-life" diabetes care plan should be the product of a combined effort between you and your diabetes care team, with the greater diabetes support community providing stories, strategies and tools to help you enhance your daily life.

You also shouldn't feel bad if other people's posts about their diabetes journey look more glamorous. When scrolling through social media feeds involving diabetes, you have to remember that you're only seeing the part of the story that an individual or organization is choosing to share.

For example, if you're seeing someone's post of their continuous glucose monitor (CGM) graph and it's a perfectly in-range graph for most of their waking hours, remember that you're not seeing the full context. You're seeing the snapshot that they've chosen to share. It's crucial to remember that diabetes exists within the context of real life, and social media doesn't always show the effort, frustrations or access that has built toward that "perfect graph."

The perspective to keep in mind

Seeing, reading and sharing diabetes stories through social media can create, build and sustain a community — and these stories can provide solace when you need it most. Feeling alone with diabetes can be overwhelming, and seeing social feeds that confirm you're part of a greater whole can be really comforting. You can always turn to social media for support when need be!

Just remember that social media has a tendency to share extreme viewpoints, so while you're seeing "bright and shiny" versions of diabetes alongside the dark, scary stories about diabetes, life exists mostly in the space between those points.

Also, keep in mind that, despite so many common threads and experiences, each person's life with diabetes is unique and perfection isn't the goal — good health and happiness is what we're working toward. Don't let the perfectly curated stories about diabetes chip away at your mental health or your efforts to do your best. Instead, try to see your diabetes through a lens of compassion instead of comparison, and don't rely on social media for information best provided by your clinician.

Interested in having your diabetes management equipment and supplies shipped directly to your home? Browse the many informative articles on the Edgepark website and follow the organization's social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.