umm.. leave me alone works for me lol

No he doesn't understand the concept of pain we talk about, what pain with a mental illness?

the pain insdie... the anger we hold and hold... hmm.. this is hard.. hmm.... i know the feeling ur saying but hmm.. i et where ur comming from now

When we say we can't stand the pain any more, he wants to understand what we mean.

To me it's not something you can explain to another person. There are people who are sympathetic and empathetic by nature and with some studying on the topic they'll say that they think they understand. But I don't think your bf is one of those, and he hs lots of company!

It has taken by BF a long time to really understand, and sometimes he still doesn't. The fact that your BF is willing to listen to you and try to understand mens a lot.

BP to me is waking up like a different person every morning, never knowing whether you are going to be Manic, depressed, or whatever.

Since I mostly get Mania not depression, it is a lump of coal in your stomach, someone standing on your chest and shoulders preventing you from breathing, clenching of teeth, extreme anxiety, hatred, fear, animosity, grandiosity, etc.

Sleepless nights, lack of concentration, racing thoughts,

Pills, bloodwork, therapy, pdoc after pdoc...

tommy he tries to understand and is very good to me. He is patient and loving when I am down, just wants to understand.

Ask him to think of his most painful memory. (a bad injury or loss, death,etc) Tell him to focus onit for a minute. Then imagine it multiplied and as a constant pain that doesnt go away.

Go and read that article about the spoon theory. You can them physically shwo him what your day is like by going through the effort that the woman who wrote the article went through with her friend.

Try it! ;-)

Oh jnb thank you told him that and he said now that makes sense.

my BF is the same way, he wants to help and understand, but just doesn't know how.

Explain in detail how you feel to him, as if you were painting a picture.

Take him to the pdoc or to therapy with you and have him observe what you talk about.

Or have him do research no BP. I think there is a section on the DS Forum now for Families of those with BP.

Last time I tried to explain it to hubby I told him that it was like having pain in your soul. That the pain was intense, paralyzing and everywhere but nowhere at the same time. It's like having a broken ankle (had one once), but it's a broken spirit instead. Everything is black or gray and you lose all ability to experience joy or happiness or even just contentment.
Hope that helps.
{{Hugs}}B

I have explained alot to him and sometimes he just says I don't know how you deal with that I couldn't handle that.

You guys are great he is starting to really get it now.

well u got urself a good man there... if only i would have found a man like that 6 years ago... lol.. things would be different for me... u got urself a keeper there girl.. good luck.