I think your situation is pretty unique. Your family has expectations of your ability to adapt based upon your earlier disability.

So how to deal with the doubters? Sometimes showing them a copy of the McGill pain scale helps. http://www.rsdhope.org/mcgill-pain-i...in-ranked.html

There would be no expectation for us to function the first couple of days after having major surgery performed due to the pain, and yet many of us experience higher levels of pain than that on a daily basis.

From what I've read on NT and elsewhere, it is not uncommon to end up with a fairly small support base of close family and friends when dealing with RSD/CRPS long term. The longer a person has the disorder, the smaller their circle often seems to grow. Since a good chunk of us leave the workforce and often become more homebound, this all adds in.

Those you live with will have the most exposure to the realities of your illness which can be pretty hard to ignore if it's in your face, but some have symptoms that are more obvious.

Those that have the best shot at remission should be focused on their healthcare primarily and they should try not to be distracted by all the other complications that accompany this type of illness--but in order to do that, it might require the help of a mental health professional even early on.

For anyone that is faced with the long term realities of a severe case of RSD/CRPS--likelihood of inability to remain in the workforce, financial stress that may include needing to move to less expensive accommodations, smaller support system, physical and/or emotional isolation, depression, insomnia, grief over the loss of the ability to do the things you once loved, learning to adapt physically and emotionally, learning to accept one's limitations, etc.--finding a mental health care provider to work through all these issues is often necessary.

And as difficult as it is for us, it is also difficult for our loved ones. Their lives are impacted as well. Depending on their ability to cope, and perhaps their level of true attachment to us in the first place, often determines what happens with our relationships. Your significant other or parent or close friend might be willing to go through your journey with you regardless, but IMO we are responsible to do the hard work to get to a place of peace, and in turn make it easier on them as well.