The Blame Game
Today is the third day of Diabetes Blog week. Each day we have a prompt and are called to post a response. You can read all responses at my friend Karen’s site Bitter~Sweet. Also, please remember RABlog week will occur in September. I hope you join the fun then as well.
Prompt
The Blame Game – Wednesday 5/17
Having diabetes often makes a visit to the doctor a dreaded experience, as there is invariably bad news of one kind or another. And sometimes the way the doctor talks to you can leave you feeling like you’re at fault. Or maybe you have a fantastic healthcare team, but have experienced blame and judgment from someone else in your life – friend, loved one, or complete stranger. Think about a particularly bad instance; how that person talked to you, the words they used and the conversation you had. Now, the game part. Let’s turn this around. If you could turn that person into a puppet, what would you have them say that would leave you feeling empowered and good about yourself? Let’s help teach people how to support us, rather than blame us!
Blame
Blame is defined as assigning responsibility for a fault or wrong. I recently felt blame, though it was admittedly not directed at me. To begin with I was diagnosed in 1974 at the age of 17 and I am clearly a Type 1. No crackpot cure, exercise program, or water elixir is going to reverse my diabetes; that horse left the barn years ago. So why am I so upset about a television show about diabetes that is titled “reversed”?
The answer is simple I get all those crackpot cures and solicitations for the miracle elixir to cure diabetes. I place the blame about the name of the program squarely on MannKind, makers of AFREZZA®. I have no issue with the concept of the program. What I just cannot get over is that a major manufacturer in the diabetes space is associating itself with a diabetes program called “Reversed.”
The premise of the show is that people with diabetes can reverse the stigma by being better advocates and living more balanced lives (better eating habits, better health goals, etc.). I have no issue with any of that. What I do take issue with is the title “Reversed.” I hate that word when it relates to diabetes.
I expressed that sentiment a few days ago to MannKind and I told them I feel the name of the program is an affront to those who like myself get all that negative crap about diabetes. I realize that is just me; others may likely feel different.
Stigma
The producers and media personalities associated with the program can say all they want about what the program is or is not. To me, that name is designed to promote the program playing off the stigma associated with diabetes. A stigma by the way which happens to be untrue for many of us. As a type 1 I know no amount of physical fitness and reducing weight will ever “Reverse” the diabetes I live with. For people with Type 2 diabetes, this is just a weekly program that tells them to work harder and look at all you can achieve.
And lest we think this is a minor issue look at what high ranking government officials are saying about people with diabetes. Those video clips make me realize how deeply negative stigma is attached to people with diabetes. A television show about diabetes called “Reversed,” feeds the stigma monster, no amount of explanation will ever overcome the damage done.
So I will say it again, shame on MannKind for sponsoring such a television program. You see single words can matter in a fast-paced media environment. The producers and sponsors chose it for a reason, and it was not because it would help people understand diabetes. They chose it to generate attention and feed the stigma. That word is offensive to me and for that reason so is MannKind’s sponsorship.
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rick
I’m prediabetic . Obviously you’re not very intelligent and well-informed and buy into anything any doctor will tell you . Being prediabetic myself and following the directions from the show reversed and Charles Mattocks I have been able to reverse my blood sugar problems . Educate yourself
SHEEPLE It’s people like you that keep our healthcare system stupid and uninformed .
Unless you have personally tried any of this yourself or known anybody that does has .
You have absolutely no ground to speak from but your own Uninformed a**
Takes hard work and dedication to reverse or improve a chronic illness . Some people don’t have the skills obviously people like you . Wake up Have a nice day
A informed consumer ✌🏻
Dear Rick,
I read your blog repeatedly and am still confused about the purpose of it as well as your message, especially since you are criticising a show which hasn’t even aired as yet. Your resentment seems, therefore, to be baseless and that raises multiple questions about whether this blog has a deeper agenda to prevent the raising of awareness for diabetes and diabetes education which is so desperately needed. Why else would you be so disappointed in a sponsor that you would connect with them and now blog about it here? What really are you hoping to achieve?
Have you stopped to think that this show could actually HELP diabetics, including Type 1? I’ve visited the website, http://www.reversedyourhealth.com, and realize that it is in fact a resource designed to help ALL diabetics live their best life possible. How can anyone be against that?
Personally, your blog only underscores an observation which I’ve noticed in the world of diabetes, and that is the division which exists between type 1 and type 2 diabetics, which seems to be largely fuelled by type 1’s who, for some strange reason, seem bitter and somewhat jealous of type 2, not realizing that a spirit of unison can achieve much more than a spirit of division. I’m dissapointed to see where someone of your calibre would choose to deliberately feed into this. Wake up and realize that people are out there craving for inspiration and hope. Everyone deserves to live their best life possible, even type 1 and type 2 diabetics and I am a believer, until proven otherwise, that this show can in fact offer some help.
I urge you, therefore, to rethink your position and at least get to SEE the show before expressing such unfounded bitterness towards something which, clearly, you need more information on. It only shows up a certain level of ignorance which someone like you ought to be above.
Mr Rick,
Having read your comments regarding the show ‘Reversed’ I cannot emphasise enough how offensive and damaging your rhetoric comments are.
#1 have you even considered the impact your negative words may have on a fellow Diabetic sufferer who has benefited from participating in such a project? If you had even bothered to take note of clips from the show… you would actually see that some of the participants have GREATLY benefited.
#2 Why would you knock a show that clearly supports diabetic sufferers? Have you even attempted to connect and have a conversation with the Producers or Mankind for that matter? How ignorant can one be?
Maybe the world you live in and what you are used to is about takers and not givers which is why you find it hard to comprehend why Producers of such a show would be so ‘selfless’ and not ‘selfish’.
I have a friend who shared her Fathers story with me some weeks back. Once a sufferer of Diabetes totally REVERSED his condition through pure determination and self discipline. Strict change in DIET along with EXERCISE. Did the reversal happen over night? NO but overtime reduction in insulin dependency took place until his physician and dietician confirmed his need for NO diabetic related meds. Hearing my friends story amazed me. This happened with her Father over 15 years ago or more. Your comments are highly offensive. You aim to slam a show before you’ve even witnessed the results and in addition to that seek to dismantle sponsorship support.
How ignorant and belligerent can one be?
Sadly, you actually come across bitter.. and appear angry at the whole world and use this platform to somewhat blame individuals for your being ‘stuck’.
Instead of attacking why don’t you try to connect and seek to understand why such a title was used for the show. Maybe in doing so your mindset will be REVERSED and you could very well end up benefiting from such a project.
I hope and pray your comments do not discourage but only encourage the Producers to continue with this unique and amazing project and propel Mankind to support them all the more and prove you wrong.
Shame on you Mr Rick.
I stand completely behind my comments in this blog. The name is inappropriate, and it shows insensitivity. As a maker of a diabetes treatment, Mannkind Corporation should be ashamed they have chosen to support a television program with this name. These comments and others I received of a similar nature will not reverse my thinking on this subject. The title Reversed for a diabetes program shows how little the company understands about the stigma placed on people with diabetes of all types. Thinking people can disagree and as such I acknowledge your right to disagree, just as I hope you respect my right to have the opposite view.
I blame no one for my type1 diabetes. I did nothing unhealthy to cause it.