
The Hidden Cost of Avoiding Your Health: A Diabetes Reality Check
Aug 02, 2025What if I told you that the biggest barrier to managing your type 2 diabetes isn’t your diet, your genes, or even the healthcare system… but something much quieter, more insidious?
Avoidance.
That voice that whispers,
“Not today.”
“I’ll deal with it next week.”
“I’d rather not know.”
Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of people living with type 2 diabetes. And today, I don’t want to talk about blood sugar levels or carbohydrate counting. Instead, I want to have an honest conversation about something we don’t talk about enough in healthcare: the emotional cost of avoiding your health.
What Does Avoidance Really Look Like?
Let’s strip away the judgement and take a good look at what avoidance actually looks like in daily life—because it’s more common than you think.
Physical Avoidance:
- That blood sugar monitor collecting dust in your drawer
- Avoiding mirrors or deleting photos you don’t like
- Wearing loose clothes to hide the changes in your body
- Taking the lift instead of the stairs—not because you physically can’t, but because you don’t want to feel breathless
Emotional Avoidance:
- Changing the subject when someone brings up health
- Feeling irritated or defensive when someone suggests making changes
- Pushing down guilt after meals and pretending it doesn’t matter
- Avoiding social events so your habits aren’t scrutinised
Medical Avoidance:
- Collecting medication but rarely taking it as prescribed
- Cancelling GP appointments last minute
- Leaving NHS letters unopened on the kitchen table
- Telling yourself, “I’ll start after the weekend,” or eating well the week before a check-up to 'trick' the results
Blaming the System:
- Saying, “The NHS isn’t helping me,” instead of taking a small step on your own
- Using long wait times as an excuse to delay action
- Believing, “What’s the point?” or “Nothing works for me”
- Waiting for the perfect support, the perfect moment, the perfect mindset before making a change
Avoidance Isn’t Laziness—It’s Protection
Avoidance is not about being lazy or lacking willpower. It’s a protective mechanism. Just like a child hides under the duvet from a monster in the dark, we sometimes shield ourselves from things that feel scary, overwhelming or out of control.
But here’s the truth: that protection comes with a cost.
Where Success Really Happens
Most people think diabetes management happens in the GP’s office. But true progress happens between appointments—in the kitchen, in the park, in the decisions you make at the supermarket, or the way you talk to yourself when no one else is listening.
Avoidance steals these moments from you. Every time you ignore your condition, you:
- Give diabetes more control over your life
- Miss the chance to intervene early
- Strengthen the habit of looking away
- Isolate yourself from support
- Trade short-term comfort for long-term stress
It’s Time to Take Your Power Back
You don’t need to make a huge life overhaul. You simply need to start.
Step 1: Start with Self-Compassion
You are not a failure. You are a human being navigating a complex condition. Speak to yourself with the same kindness you’d give to a friend.
Step 2: Take Microscopic Steps
Open one letter. Fill one prescription. Check your blood sugar once. Walk for five minutes. Change doesn’t need to be dramatic to be powerful.
Step 3: Create Your Safety Net
Find a support system—whether it’s a friend, family member, health coach or online community. You don’t have to do this alone.
Reframe Your Thoughts
The stories we tell ourselves have power. So let’s rewrite some of those old narratives:
- “I’m failing at managing my diabetes”
→ “I’m learning how to care for my health.” - “The NHS isn’t helping enough”
→ “What small step can I take today?” - “It’s too late for me”
→ “I’m starting from exactly where I am.”
The First Step Is the Hardest—But You Can Take It
Tomorrow morning, do one thing you’ve been putting off.
- Open the test results.
- Step on the scales.
- Book the appointment.
- Speak the truth about where you are.
Not because you have to… but because you deserve to know.
Avoiding your health might feel easier at the moment. But the hidden cost is too high—physically, emotionally, and mentally. You are worth the effort, and the truth is rarely as scary as we imagine it to be.
Your health story isn’t fixed in stone. It’s written every day, one choice at a time.
If you're ready to take control of your health, explore more helpful videos and free resources at The Lifestyle Clinic
Watch the full video on YouTube:
The Hidden Cost of Avoiding Your Health
You don’t have to wait for the “perfect” moment.
Start where you are—and start now.