Welcome to Part 2 of this article!

Here are 6 more dating tips for people with diabetes.

#4. The Outing

If sharing a meal can be daunting on a first date, do something more active that doesn’t involve feeding. Movies, a museum, or a sporting event can be exciting and fun. Don’t feel you need to pull out a syringe on a first date, unless you know they’ll love it. You’re the one in control of deciding whether your date is worthy enough to know and bring into that intimate part of your life.

#5. Be Prepared  

Don’t fake it. Even if you don’t plan on sharing your condition with your date when you go out, make sure you’re always ready to treat your diabetes. So, that means pack all your stuff to handle highs and lows. Just because your date doesn’t know, doesn’t mean your diabetes is going under cover too. It can pop up and make a guest appearance so be ready no matter what your intentions.

#6. Only the Best for You

Obviously, if your date shows any signs of ignorance or judgment once you’ve shared the fact that you have diabetes, end the date promptly, and make sure you never see this person again. You don’t need to be antagonized.

#7. The Needle-Phob

It might turn out that your date or mate is needle-phobic. Think long and hard. They might not be a good fit in the long run since you’ll need to check your blood sugar levels regularly, and you’ll have to give yourself insulin. That’s a given, and you might not want to hide away to get treatment, so make sure you put your needs first.

#8. Chill Out

It’s pretty basic that if you can relax and laugh or joke about your diabetes, everyone else will feel at ease too. The smart ones will know the condition does not define you. Take care of your diabetes as you normally do, which means test your blood and give yourself insulin. Just be your authentic self. Diabetes or not, that’s the best way to win someone over anyway.

#9. No Shame  

And the most important thing about dating with diabetes is to never, ever apologize for being a diabetic. Period.

At the end of the day, you are the only one who will know when it’s the right time to tell a date about your diabetes. If you’d rather wait or keep it to yourself, it’s up to you and a personal choice. Always be aware, though, that having a big secret, particularly about your health and well-being will affect every aspect of your life. It could cause problems in your relationship as it develops and gets more serious.

And hiding your condition could end up in you not taking the best care of yourself. Having diabetes is nothing to be ashamed of: it’s a very common and treatable condition. And rest assured, when looking for love, the right person is going to love you for who you are regardless, diabetes or not.

Let your truth set you free.

Special thanks to Mona Mangat for writing this article.