Nick Jonas said that being outspoken about his type 1 diabetes has helped him realize that there are other people experiencing the same struggle.
"The fact that I get to be open and honest about this with my fans helps me actually feel like I'm not alone," Jonas, who's promoting his partnership with Cigna, told Insider.
The 27-year-old singer continued: "That's been something they've told me quite a bit, that just me sharing my story helped them feel like they were less alone, and that's the win."
"That's the goal at the end of the day, is just for us all to be a bit more connected and feel like there's someone out there who we can relate with and that we can lean on in troubling or tough times," he added.
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Longtime fans of the singer will recall that he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 13 years old. He released a song with the Jonas Brothers (comprised of himself and siblings Joe Jonas and Kevin Jonas) called "A Little Bit Longer," inspired by his diagnosis. The personal track appeared on the band's 2008 album, "A Little Bit Longer."
Jonas' health was also addressed in the Jonas Brothers' 2019 Amazon Prime documentary called "Chasing Happiness."
Nick recalled looking in the mirror and comparing his thin body to a skeleton, saying: "I feel like I'm dying." Joe also called it a "life-shifting moment for everybody."
"I think the beauty for us about being able to partner with Amazon on that documentary was the fact that we were able to be really open, really honest with our journey as a band, but then also with the things that we hold to be important to us," Jonas told us. "And for me, that's physical health and also my emotional health."
The singer went on to say that diabetes is difficult to deal with, especially while touring, but he's found ways to manage it. This includes taking advantage of quiet moments between shows, checking in with doctors, being "conscious of my vocal health and my vocal stamina," and having "a really open line of communication" with friends and family.
"I'm in the best health I've been in since I was diagnosed," he said. "I think it's about just being patient with the understanding that there will be some days that are really challenging."
Watch Jonas talk about his partnership with Cigna in the video below.
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