Background: Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease with high global prevalence. Treatment often begins with lifestyle changes, such as diet and physical activity, and is supplemented with medication if necessary. Patients must actively participate in their own care, but many find it difficult to maintain this in the long term. Nurses are responsible for supporting and promoting patients‘self-care through individualised support that takes into account patients’ needs, resources and experiences. Aim: The aim is to describe the challenges that patients with type 2 diabetes experience in their self-care. Method: The method is based on a general literature review of ten qualitative articles published between 2020 and 2025. The process is based on the nine-step model described by Polit and Beck. Braun and Clarke's six-step model for thematic analysis was applied for data analysis. Results: The analysis identifies three themes: Living in uncertainty – when knowledge does not become understanding, between desire and reality – self-care in the shadow of financial constraints and the absence of support – when loneliness becomes a barrier to disease management. Conclusion: Self-care in type 2 diabetes is influenced by several intertwined factors such as knowledge, support and social conditions. The study shows the importance of nurses ‘individualized and empathetic support in strengthening patients’ opportunities for independence and quality of life. Keywords: Self-care, patients' experiences, type 2 diabetes, challenges.