Youth with Type 1 Diabetes: Disease Stigma, Support Networks

This work is devoted to the study of the stigmatization of student youth with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Stigmatization comes from the problematization of the disease by young people themselves, the desire to talk about the diagnosis and the difficulties of life. Stigmatization from the side of society occurs in the division of society into "healthy" and "disabled", there is also a stigma of a sweet tooth. The result of the work was the identification of the fact that stigma is formed not only on the part of society, but also inside: there is a division into “right” and “wrong” diabetics, with and without disabilities, who want to talk about diabetes and correct misinformation of the public and ignorant, those who accepts pity for himself and those who are not. Solidarity is a way to combat disinformation and stigma from the public. Online communities act as support networks where people with similar views, interests, and statements exchange their experiences and make demands on society and government agencies to be heard.