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Adolescence and Adult Problems |
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ADOLESCENCEThis is often the worst time of all. It is now that a child most wants to be part of the crowd and, at the same time, needs to assert his independence from Mum and Dad. Often, this may take the form of ignoring his diet or medication, as late nights, parties, drinking and junk food are all parts of the teenage rites of passage. Parents can find themselves alternating between screaming nags – "If you don't take your insulin, you'll go blind!" – and silent, terrified onlookers, as the young adult struggles to strike out on his own. ADULT PROBLEMSOlder people are supposed to cope better with illness, if only because it's more expected in the later years. But this is not always the case, and the family can also suffer greatly when adult people with diabetes don't look after themselves properly. It is very painful to watch people you love neglecting themselves in the face of disease which can have such devastating consequences. Some partners of people with diabetes find that their spouses may even become violent with the intermittent mental confusion caused by badly controlled diabetes. |
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