Pinterest has great pictures and tips on fibromyalgia, on how to explain it to those who don't understand. Just type in fibromyalgia.

Ive had Fibromyalgia for 36yrs and dear if your gettin negativity from loved ones or anyone for that matter you just have to stop talking about your symptoms to them. It took me so so long to learn that. But life got better when I let go of that. They love you but unless they have a chronic pain diorder or have had one they just dont get it. And they never will.

found the free version at online.slidehtml5.com/ymyt/ueoa/ueoa.pdf I grabbed it myself Ah google is a wonderful thing lol

Imagine you're planning a party and expecting about 20 guests. Three or four friends told you they'd come early to help you out. But they don't show, and instead of 20 guests, you get 100. You're overwhelmed.

That's what's happening with pain signals in those of us with this condition.

The cells send too many pain messages (party guests), up to five times as many as in a healthy person. That can turn simple things like mild pressure or even an itch into pain.

When those pain signals reach the brain, they're processed by something called serotonin. However, we don't have enough serotonin (the friends who didn't show up to help), leaving the brain overwhelmed.

This is why we have pain in tissues that show no sign of damage. It's not imagined pain; it's misinterpreted sensation that the nerves and brain turn into actual pain.

Other substances in the patient's brain amplify a host of other signals—essentially, "turning up the volume" of everything. That can include light, noise, and odor on top of pain, and it lead to sensory overload. This can lead to confusion, fear, anxiety, and panic attacks.

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Or as I heard someone once say, it's like having flu, all the time but without the snot!

Try The Spoon Theory. It is not about fibro, but is about dealing with chronic illness and its effects. I hope it helps. https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written...