I think that we can always make an effort to understand other people's pain on intellectual level. But I don't think we can fully understand on a deep level. It is like I have students with every possible disability and I understand because heck I have lots of schooling and long experience. But on deep level I can never fully grasp how someone might feel.

Like I know what someone with hearing impairment needs and I know what to do to help but I am not hearing impaired so I can only guess how it truly feels not to hear. Same here. I understand how depressed people might feel but I am not them so I honestly don't really know. Saying all that it's important that we show compassion and try to understand/learn.