Adam Smith on mindfulness, mental health, and diabetes

Inside Adam Smith’s life with type 1 diabetes

Adam Smith is a television presenter, podcaster, and content creator, best known for hosting 'Saturday Social', Sky Sports’ football entertainment show. He’s also the official matchday host in the Bobby Moore Lounge at Wembley Stadium, where he brings his energy and personality to every game.

Adam’s career has gone from strength to strength - something he’s incredibly proud of. But what makes his achievements even more remarkable is what he’s had to tackle along the way. Throughout his rise in broadcasting, Adam has also been balancing life with type 1 diabetes, and the pressures of a busy job.

Adam Smith

The diagnosis that changed everything

Adam was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 12 years ago, as a young adult. His symptoms included the hallmark signs of the condition - needing to urinate frequently, extreme weight loss, constant thirst, and overwhelming fatigue.

“I lost a lot of weight and was going to the toilet about eight times a night,” he says. “I remember one time I was drinking a bottle of water while I was urinating because my thirst and need to go to the toilet was so extreme.

“A lot of people also said I looked grey - that I didn’t have a healthy skin colour.”

When Adam finally underwent tests to determine the cause of his symptoms, the results showed that his blood sugar was dangerously high. Health professionals told him they believed he was just one week away from slipping into a coma.

The hidden mental health toll of diabetes

Initially, Adam felt relieved to finally have the answers he needed and a clear path towards getting better. But he was unprepared for the time, planning, and self-care required to stay well.

The reality of living with type 1 diabetes meant injecting insulin five to eight times a day, calculating carbohydrate intake, constantly monitoring his blood sugar, and ordering medication. He also had to make sure he was getting the right balance of food, drink, and sleep - all while trying to manage his stress levels.

“It can consume every aspect of your life,” he describes. “But the alternative to not doing these things is literally not surviving.

“So for two years my mental health was on the absolute floor. I was injecting in private, crying myself to sleep, and keeping it all closed - only telling close family members about my diagnosis.”

When keeping diabetes private became too much

Adam tried to keep his diagnosis under wraps for a long time. This was partly because of the stigma he had seen directed towards himself, and partly because he worried that having the condition could somehow jeopardise his career.

“I actually got my presenter’s contract the same year I was diagnosed,” he recalls. “I’m on national TV, interviewing huge superstars, putting photos up on Instagram with global sports stars. And under every photo is this phrase, ‘living the dream’. Whereas in reality, I was in the worst place I’ve ever been mentally.

“My personal and professional life could not have been more different.”

Although Adam’s physical symptoms began to subside as he started receiving treatment and learning to manage his diabetes, they were soon replaced by new physical symptoms linked to his deteriorating mental health. He began experiencing extreme dizziness and vertigo, to the point where he found it difficult to travel in lifts or moving vehicles.

After undergoing tests with an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist and having a brain scan, both of which came back normal, Adam was told by a psychologist that his new symptoms were likely a result of anxiety brought on by his diabetes diagnosis.

“That massively shocked and alerted me to how your mental health can make you feel physically ill,” he says. “So once those tests came back normal, I realised that I needed to open up about my condition for the sake of my wellbeing.”

Why talking can make such a difference

It wasn’t until after two years of struggling in silence that Adam finally took to social media and shared his experience of living with type 1 diabetes. Although he expected some negative comments, he was blown away by the support and empathy he received.

“90% of the messages I got were overwhelmingly positive,” he describes. “That really helped me in my journey of understanding and living with this condition. What followed next blew my mind. I also received messages from people who were struggling - not necessarily with diabetes, but with serious issues in their lives.

“It switched a light bulb on in me - rather than just asking people to help me, I now felt like I had a purpose in life to help others. When I've spoken to people who have struggled with their mental health, I found that men in particular feel like they can't talk about it.

“I myself could never have imagined opening up like I am to you now ten years ago. I wasn’t even telling my best friends about my health issues. And now I do talks, keynote speeches, I go to schools, and I collaborate with charities. Because I think that if I can help just one person by telling my story, then it’s worth telling.”

Finding mental health support for diabetes

When Adam was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, he found there was a wealth of support available to help him manage the physical side of the condition. But he didn’t feel he received the same support when it came to his mental health. Adam attributes this partly to a lack of available resources, but also to the reality that, in those early stages, healthcare professionals are immediately focused on saving your life.

“You are looked at physically all the time,” says Adam. “But I didn’t receive any psychological support. Nor was there an intrinsic link between how this may affect you mentally. There’s lots of research to suggest that if you have diabetes, you’re more likely to experience mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.

“I had to proactively seek help myself. It wasn’t until I started speaking to people that I realised I probably needed therapy because I couldn’t cope with this and pretend everything was alright.”

Adam says that, alongside therapy, opening up and talking about his condition has been hugely beneficial for his mental health. It has also led to an unexpected source of practical support from his friends and colleagues.

“When I do my live Sky show on a Saturday morning, I have a floor manager who keeps some sweets off camera because she knows about my condition,” he says. “If I wasn’t telling anyone about my diabetes, that’s not a very helpful or practical way to live.

“So now I tell everyone before every call and every event I do - especially because I’m in a relatively high-pressure job that often requires me to stand on stage in front of a thousand people. There’s no margin for my blood sugar levels to go wrong.”

How mindfulness can support life with diabetes

Adam compares managing diabetes to having a superpower - although one that comes with a huge amount of responsibility. For people who don’t live with the condition, it's difficult to understand just how complex and demanding diabetes management can be. Adam describes it as having two jobs - your day job, and the job of managing a major organ that isn’t working as it should.

But, as Adam has learned, even superheroes need a helping hand, particularly when it comes to their mental health.

Alongside therapy and the support of those around him, Adam has found another valuable tool in the partnership between Insulet - the makers of Omnipod insulin pumps - and mental wellness app Calm. Their ‘Mind in Range’ Collection offers simple ways to incorporate mindfulness into daily life, helping people navigate the psychological side of living with diabetes.

“I’ve utilised so many practical mindfulness tips which link very well to what Calm and Omnipod are doing as a partnership,” he says. “The technology behind each has combined to deliver a fantastic product that has helped me manage my condition both physically and mentally. This collaboration is such a natural fit because so many people living with diabetes don't just struggle physically, but also struggle mentally - of which I'm one.”

Adam’s advice for living well with diabetes

Adam wants people to know that managing diabetes can be tough. However, he says it does become more manageable with time. While he recommends seeking support from a healthcare professional and exploring mind-body practices to boost your mental health, one of the most important lessons he has learned is the value of talking to others about how you feel.

“Talk,” he urges. “Don't keep it hidden. You'll be amazed at how much support there is out there. Be vulnerable. Open up to the people around you, because the more that people know, the more they can help.

“A problem shared is a problem halved. Don't try to hide the fact that you're struggling. It's okay not to be okay. You will have good days. You will have bad days. But it is a superpower that will make you stronger.

“Having diabetes certainly hasn't stopped me from achieving anything in my life, and it won't stop you from achieving anything you want either. I'm a firm believer in that.”