# Is anyone having a hard time getting family and friends to understand Fibro?

**URL:** <https://forum.livingwithfibro.org/t/is-anyone-having-a-hard-time-getting-family-and-friends-to-understand-fibro/8660>\
**Category:** Information to Share with Loved Ones\
**Created:** [October 5, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfibro.org/t/is-anyone-having-a-hard-time-getting-family-and-friends-to-understand-fibro/8660 "2016-10-05T18:56:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ElaineVT49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/2acd7d/32.png) [@ElaineVT49](https://forum.livingwithfibro.org/u/ElaineVT49)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfibro.org/t/is-anyone-having-a-hard-time-getting-family-and-friends-to-understand-fibro/8660/1 "2016-10-05T18:56:19Z")

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My husband tries to understand but I don’t think he really does. Last night when I was complaining about my pain he said he hurts just as bad from working in the yard. It really made me upset that he said that to me. I really thought he understood better than that. I just don’t know how to explain it to him. Any suggestions?

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**Author:** ![Auburnm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.livingwithfibro.org/auburnm/32/3045_2.png) [@Auburnm](https://forum.livingwithfibro.org/u/Auburnm)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 1:29am UTC](https://forum.livingwithfibro.org/t/is-anyone-having-a-hard-time-getting-family-and-friends-to-understand-fibro/8660/2 "2016-10-06T01:29:50Z")

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Hi I am glad you reached out here. We do have some resources and tips on site here on suggestions on how to explain Fibro. I know for most of us, including myself, it can be very frustrating and discouraging when we don’t feel like others understand. I used to get really upset (and still do sometimes) when it seems like people close to me don’t understand. One thing I have done that seems to help is I try really hard to be empathetic to others. When a friend is telling me how much she hurts from what I might perceive to be a minor thing, I try to listen and empathize. Often after I have done that then I can say something like, “that is how I feel sometimes with Fibro. Sometimes I also feel . . .” I have found that people I know can relate a little  
more if I am empathetic to their issues as well. I do understand how difficult Fibro is to explain. Kind of like trying to explain childbirth to someone who hasn’t experienced it. Hard to understand unless you have gone through it.

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**Author:** ![ElaineVT49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/2acd7d/32.png) [@ElaineVT49](https://forum.livingwithfibro.org/u/ElaineVT49)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 11:23am UTC](https://forum.livingwithfibro.org/t/is-anyone-having-a-hard-time-getting-family-and-friends-to-understand-fibro/8660/3 "2016-10-06T11:23:15Z")

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Thank you for your input. Some days are harder than others to try an explain how I feel to someone that clearly doesn’t understand. I feel like women in general understand better than men. I have been told it is all in my head and I should be able to get through it. I will check out the resources on the site to see if anything can help me. Thank you again for your support and input.