Choosing My Bright Colors
- Nathan Kim
- Oct 26
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 27
One of the hardest challenges for people with T1D is depression. It can come from many things, but one big reason is the constant management and stress. You can’t just eat something when you want to; you always have to calculate first. Can I eat this? How many carbs does it have? Will my blood sugar spike? Even if I take insulin, is this too much sugar?
These thoughts repeat every single day, even over something small like a slice of chocolate cake or a scoop of ice cream, things I never had to think twice about before T1D. The stress of having to run through those simulations in my head every day can be heavy.
When my blood sugar goes too high or too low, my whole family gets alerts and starts checking in. I’m truly grateful; it means that when I can’t take care of myself or when I’m asleep, there are people watching out for me. But sometimes, it’s overwhelming to only talk about blood sugar all the time. When it spikes just because I miscalculated carbs or ate the wrong thing, suddenly my phone blows up with messages, and sometimes I just want to turn it off and disappear for a while.
There are nights when I’m woken up by calls from the school health center or messages from my mom. I’m thankful, but at the same time, I just want one peaceful night of sleep. After fighting a blood sugar rollercoaster overnight, it’s hard to wake up for class the next morning. And I don’t always want to tell my friends or teachers, I couldn’t sleep because of my blood sugar. Even if it’s true, it starts to sound like an excuse, like I can’t manage myself properly.
When all of that piles up, depression can follow. Some people even stop managing their diabetes for a while because it just becomes too much. That’s why I wanted my designs to be bright and cheerful, colors that make you feel a little lighter, even for a moment. Wearing something soft and comfortable can lift your mood, even just a bit. And I hope these clothes can help raise awareness of the challenges people with T1D face every day.
