Unfortunately, many people have little understanding of things that they have not personally experienced. It's a human tendency. Your boyfriend is probably not going to change much on this issue. Maybe he is not the guy you need in your life. Then, again, maybe you can find reading material for him about your illness that he can use to get himself better educated.

I don't have migraines, but I do struggle with depression. I have learned that other people have a very limited capacity to hear about my problem. This is true even of people who love me. Sometimes you just have to withdraw from an activity that is too tough for you when you are having a bad day. Maybe, if your boyfriend finds that you don't want to be with him when you are suffering, he will be more supportive of you. I know you do want to be with him, but that's because you are hoping for his support which you are not getting.

The two of you will have to find a compromise that won't be exactly what either one of you wants. He will never be as understanding as you wish him to be. You will never just "snap" out of things as he wishes. You might try offering him a deal like this: "I won't burden you with every discomfort I feel, but I will tell you when I'm having a really extra hard time, and I will expect you to be supportive on those occasions."

Guys tend to dislike hearing about a problem that they can't do anything to solve. If you are telling him about the smells bothering you because you would like to leave that area, then he should be willing to go with you somewhere else where there are not triggering smells. If you feel anxious, and you know something specific he can do to help you, then he should be willing to do that. However, if you just want to be listened to, while you express how much you are suffering, then you might have to learn to keep some of that to yourself.

I once told a counselor that I was finding that people in my life did not really want to listen very much to me talking about my depression/anxiety. She replied, "That's a service you really have to pay people to do." I thought her advice was harsh, but I've found it true. If you limit sharing about your problem to times when it is really severe (and not too often,) you will get more sympathy. If you are talking about your migraines 3 or 4 times a week, people, including your boyfriend, will start to tune you out. It sounds cruel, but it's just how people are. That's what I've learned.