Background: Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a metabolic disease and an increasing health problem throughout the world. It’s extremely common among children and adolescents. It’s a complex diagnosis to deal with and treatment of diabetes mellitus type 1 involves daily blood sugar control and insulin injections. 

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe adolescents’ experiences of living with type 1 diabetes.

Method: A qualitative literature-based method with an analysis of qualitative research was selected . Nine articles from 2013- 2022 were analyzed and included in the result.

Results: The analysis resulted in three themes and nine subthemes. The themes that emerged were: (1) A changed life situation that awakens emotions (2) The need for a functioning safety net in the encounter with the outside world (3) Dealing with a new everyday life.

Conclusion: The results revealed that young people with diabetes mellitus type 1 had a feeling that they needed to adjust their lives to be able to live with the disease. The majority of the adolescents sought independence, as it was their main objective. It was evident that one of the biggest difficulties that the adolescents faced were the feeling of being the one to “stand out”. The surroundings impact on the everyday life were both positive and negative.