It's so difficult to keep this pain hidden; we are prisoners of our own minds, where no one else can enter. It upsets me that no one can see 'mental' pain, which can be just as real and painful as that of cancer, diabetes, and other physical illnesses (and both lead to death). People with physical pain/illness get compassion, understanding and assistance because people can "see" and actually understand their pain. I sometimes feel like the Incredible Hulk, with my chest ready to explode from so much internal pain (I was once hospitalized for this), but yet no one else is able to see this. I'm looked at as unsociable, lazy, and negative (which I am), but it's not attributed to the mental illness like it would be for someone with an outward physical illness.

I'm new to this site, but I'm here tonight because I, too, am ready to go crazy because I can't share with anyone else who understands (and the once a week pdoc therapy is only a drop in a bucket when you're in pain). I guess we need to learn to release the pain safely on this website where others understand us, to reduce the level of pain within us and keep us from going 'insane'. Good luck!