The Side of Type 1 Diabetes That Most Men Don’t Talk About

THERE’S NO “RIGHT” way to react when a doctor tells you that something in your body has fundamentally shifted—and that life, from this point forward, is going to look different.

For men newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D)—an autoimmune condition that affects your body’s ability to make insulin—the physical adjustments are only half the battle.

While the condition requires round-the-clock blood sugar monitoring, insulin injections, and a new level of vigilance, the mental health side of T1D is real, and for many men, it hits hard. Learning to manage the emotional aspects may be even more important than the physical—despite them being talked about less.

“Your mindset is what fuels your motivation to manage the physical side of things,” says William Haas, MD, board-certified integrative & family medicine doctor and founder of VYVE Wellness clinic who has male patients with type 1 diabetes. “If someone is emotionally overwhelmed or stuck in denial, it becomes a significant barrier to staying on top of glucose monitoring, insulin dosing, and lifestyle choices.”

Meet the experts: William Haas, MD, board-certified integrative & family medicine doctor and founder of VYVE Wellness clinic who has male patients with type 1 Diabetes. Cristina Del Toro Badessa, MD, a board-certified physician and director at Artisan Beaute with experience treating type 1 diabetic men. Zishan Khan, MD, a psychiatrist with Mindpath Health who regularly treats male patients with chronic diseases like Type 1 diabetes.

There’s a robust body of research that supports the mind-body connection Dr. Haas is referring to. “Studies have found that when mental health issues (like depression or high distress) go unaddressed, patients often have worse healthcare outcomes,” says Cristina Del Toro Badessa, MD, a board-certified physician and director at Artisan Beaute with experience treating type 1 diabetic men.

“In diabetes specifically, research shows that conditions such as depression, anxiety, and diabetes distress (the overwhelm of managing diabetes) are associated with higher HbA1c levels (poorer blood sugar control), more complications, and generally harder-to-manage diabetes,” Dr. Badessa says. “On the other hand, positive emotional well-being has been linked to improved disease management and even longer life spans.”

It’s the thing that often goes unsaid: that chronic illness and mental health have a bidirectional relationship—and one affects the other constantly.

“Your mental state shapes how you experience life with type 1,” says Dr. Haas. “Two people can have the exact same A1C but drastically different qualities of life, and it often comes down to how they mentally and emotionally process their diagnosis.”

So, we asked doctors and therapists to share their best insights—what they want every man to know as he begins, or continues down, this journey. Consider this your guide to getting your mindset right, even if your body feels less in your control.

Seek support.

The best first step you can take is realizing you’re not meant to shoulder it all on your own. “I wish all male patients knew that acknowledging fear, sadness, or frustration doesn’t make you less of a man—it makes you human, and it takes true courage and bravery,” Dr. Khan says. “You are not weak for needing support—you are strong for facing something difficult head-on.”

Dr. Khan encourages his newly-diagnosed patients to identify a few key people they trust—a partner, close friends—who they can lean on for emotional support or practical help. “I advise them to communicate their needs clearly, even scripting out language if necessary: ‘I don’t need fixing, but I do need someone to listen when this feels overwhelming.’ This shift from isolation to connection can dramatically change outcomes.”

If you don’t have a strong support system, ask your doctor for group therapy options. “For some, group therapy or peer support groups tailored to men with chronic illness can be transformative, offering both normalization and connection,” says Dr. Khan.

Reframe your definition of therapy.

Speaking of therapy: “Many men have internalized messages that seeking help is a sign of weakness,” says Dr. Khan. “To overcome this, I try to frame mental health as a component of physical health—not separate from, but essential to disease management.”

Rather than focusing on vulnerability—seeing therapy as some emotionally-fraught talk session—Dr. Khan suggests viewing it as a practical tool for mental resilience or performance optimization. Through that lens, going to therapy is no different than going to the gym.

All three experts agree: Whether it’s seeing a therapist who understands chronic illness, joining a peer support group, or connecting with a diabetes educator (your doctor should be able to help you find all three), these resources need to be seen as a core part of your ongoing treatment.

“I want to dispel the notion that you have to ‘man up’ by going it alone,” says Dr. Badessa. “In reality, talking to a professional or even a friend about your fears and frustrations can lighten that burden immensely and give you better strategies to cope.”

Own your diagnosis.

“The most challenging aspect for many is accepting that this is a lifelong condition,” says Dr. Haas. “It’s not something that goes away with a round of antibiotics or a diet change.”

But, those who accept their diagnosis earlier, rather than resist or minimize it, tend to manage the condition most effectively, Dr. Khan says. “They engage in their treatment proactively, ask questions, express fears, and use their medical and mental health team as collaborative partners.”

The mindset of these successful patients is key: “They tend to focus on what they can control rather than what they’ve lost,” he says. “I’ve noticed that successful patients are more willing to integrate diabetes into their identity without allowing it to define them entirely.”

For Dr. Badessa, too, the patients who do well are those who—after the initial shock—embrace the reality of their condition and decide to take charge. “Instead of staying in denial indefinitely, they pivot to ‘how can I manage this?’ They educate themselves about diabetes and tackle challenges head-on.”

For example, if they notice their blood sugar levels trending high, they’ll bring it up during their office visits and work with their provider to adjust their plan.

“This head-on approach of facing issues early and adapting helps prevent small problems from snowballing,” Dr. Badessa says. “In contrast, patients who struggle often avoid or ignore issues (understandably due to fear or burnout), which can allow difficulties to worsen.”

Focus on a healthy lifestyle overall.

Just like fitness is more about consistency than being “perfect,” managing type 1 is about creating a healthy lifestyle you can sustain. The most successful patients are more forgiving of themselves when things don’t go perfectly, says Dr. Haas. “Blood sugar management isn’t a game of perfection,” he says. “It’s about consistency and resilience over time.”

It’s true that you’ll need to pay attention to a few more details, especially around meals and exercise. “But in many ways, the healthy habits you’ll build to manage diabetes are the same ones every man should be doing anyway: eating a carb-conscious diet, staying active, and getting quality sleep,” Dr. Haas says. “If anything, this diagnosis can be the catalyst for becoming the healthiest, most intentional version of yourself.”