Chronic disease characteristics of Type 2 diabetes will affect the quality of life for that individual. The chronic disease characteristics are problems with sleep, depression, stress, distress about having the disease, how to cope with the illness, and lack of social support from family and society. If you have a chronic disease it will have these same effecting characteristics that Type 2 diabetes has. In addition, there is a psychological and social component that creates more hardship. Let’s look at the facts about type 2 diabetes.