One important skill for managing your diabetes is to be able to talk about it . . . to family, friends, teachers, health care workers . . . sometimes even strangers!

Talking about your diabetes can do many things.

It can help the people that are close to you learn more about diabetes, and what emergency signals they might need to look for in you, such as for high and low blood sugars.

It can help people who don't know you as well to understand why you may be doing things that seem odd or wrong to them, such as sticking yourself, or eating candy because you are low. (Many people think that if you have diabetes you can never eat anything sweet!)

It can also help you to work through feelings your diabetes may bring up . . . in yourself, or in others.

So don't keep quiet about your diabetes. Take a deep breath and . . . TALK ABOUT IT!