If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, you’re well aware of the condition’s impact on your life. However, chances are strong that other people in your orbit don’t know as much as they could about the disease. That’s why it’s important to raise awareness about the condition. This is especially true in November, which is Diabetes Awareness Month — 30 days of focus on both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

It can be hard when friends and family don’t know what you’re going through. It may be difficult to say no to requests of loved ones who don’t understand type 2 diabetes, because you might worry about how your relationships will be affected. Raising awareness about type 2 diabetes is important so that your friends, family, and acquaintances can better understand how to support you.

What Is Diabetes Awareness Month?

Diabetes Awareness Month is dedicated to raising awareness about diabetes and its impact. It takes place in November because Dr. Frederick Banting, the person who discovered insulin, was born on November 14, which is also World Diabetes Day. The American Diabetes Association says that the month’s aim isn’t just about raising awareness — it also focuses on research and advocating for people with diabetes.

Start by Raising Your Own Awareness

Before you can create public awareness by sharing information with others, it’s a good idea to understand the specifics about diabetes. You can equip yourself by learning more about diabetes causes, signs and symptoms, and treatments.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic (lifelong) disease in which your body can’t regulate the levels of glucose (sugar) in your blood. Type 2 diabetes usually progresses over time, and chronically high blood sugar can lead to many serious complications. Type 2 diabetes can be treated with medication and lifestyle changes such as weight loss, exercise, and diet changes.

In some cases of type 2 diabetes, early intervention can lead to significant improvements in glucose control. Symptoms vary, but people with type 2 diabetes commonly experience:

• Intense hunger and thirst
• Fatigue
• Frequent urination
• Blurry vision
• Slowed healing
• Numbness or tingling in the extremities
• Frequent infections

One DiabetesTeam member described attending an awareness event associated with World Diabetes Day: “It was an interesting event. We were taken back to signs and symptoms, the lifestyle of a person with diabetes, and causes of amputations.”

Share Awareness Resources

When armed with information about diabetes, you can share it with others. The fastest and least expensive way for this kind of advocacy is through social media. You can post information about diabetes and share details about the condition, as well as join communities that are working to spread awareness about diabetes. You can also follow the American Diabetes Association on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

“OMG — I just found the best way to make my family aware,” said one DiabetesTeam member of their social media use. “I made a post on my Facebook account — everyone in my family knows I am diabetic, they also know I have other diseases with no cure.”

To ensure your messages on social media reach as many people as possible, consider using an appropriate diabetes-related hashtag, like #Diabetes, #DiabetesAwareness, or #DiabetesAwarenessMonth. That way, your posts will be seen by more people who have the same interests, and they’re more likely to share and comment.

Social media doesn’t just help raise awareness — it also allows other people with diabetes to realize they aren’t alone, which may raise their overall sense of wellness. Joining a diabetes community on social media, such as DiabetesTeam, can also help you connect with others.

Diabetes Awareness Colors, Shirts, Ribbons, and More

If you don’t use social media or aren’t comfortable posting about type 2 diabetes, you can start conversations about the condition in other ways. You might choose to wear blue — the diabetes awareness color — all month or spread the word via a diabetes awareness T-shirt. Some come in blue, but the American Diabetes Association also offers shirts in other colors.

You can also display the diabetes awareness symbol, a blue circle, to promote awareness. You could include it in your Zoom background, in your email signature, or other places where people are likely to notice it.

Another option is to wear a type 1 and type 2 diabetes awareness ribbon. The blue — sometimes blue and gray — ribbons usually show a red drop of blood near the end of a tail.

The purpose of all of these options is to start conversations. If people ask why you’re wearing blue so often or displaying certain symbols, you can explain and tell them about type 2 diabetes.

Raising awareness can be empowering. One DiabetesTeam member posted a photo of their diabetes-related shirt and shared, “This is Diabetic Awareness Month. Show Diabetes that you are in charge, not it.”

Participate in Awareness Activities

Another way to raise awareness about diabetes is to participate in an activity dedicated to the cause. You can walk or run for diabetes, play bingo, host a silent auction or fundraiser, or come up with a unique event that matches your interests.

You can help other people understand more about diabetes while having fun and fundraising for the cause. If you’re able, you can also donate to the American Diabetes Association to support diabetes research and advocacy.

Connect With Others Who Understand

On DiabetesTeam, more than 159,000 people living with diabetes come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with the condition.

Do you have any plans to get involved during type 2 diabetes awareness month? Share your diabetes journey in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.