Healthy Living

16 Ways to Support a Spouse Who Has Fibromyalgia

If your family is having trouble adjusting to fibromyalgia, educate them and get help

When you are in chronic pain, it is challenging for both you and your family, especially if your loved one has a condition like fibromyalgia. This condition is hard for others to understand. They think you are fine or maybe faking your pain and exhaustion.

If this scenario is typical in your family, instead of getting angry, get help. Consider therapy. Couples, family, and individual therapy will help you, plus your caretaker or loved ones, adapt to the demands of an illness that is life-changing. Talk therapy can be healing and very helpful for everyone involved.

Educate those around you about what is going on in your body. Let them know why it’s making you miserable, tired, depressed, and unable to do the things you used to do. With fibromyalgia, you look perfectly fine, but others need to understand that this is a chronic illness. It is real. Sit down and discuss your symptoms with your family and help them appreciate your chronic illness.

Learn to cope with your fibromyalgia and let others see that you have developed your own tools for managing the disease. Learn to cope with pain and if you can do it, others can do it, too.