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  1. KaiT81

    Success Is a Matter of Perception

    This is really encouraging. Thank you very much for this post!
  2. KaiT81

    Tinnitus Today Magazine Spring 2018

    I recently had a one-on-one coaching session with him online, and I found his advice helpful. I'm also considering signing up for the CBT Tinnitus course with him. However, I'm a bit perplexed and unsettled by the many negative comments about him on Tinnitus Talk. His articles in Tinnitus Today...
  3. KaiT81

    Tinnitus Today Magazine Spring 2018

    Then you were a direct patient of the famous Dr. Hubbard and learned there to respond (thoughtfully) to your tinnitus rather than to react (emotionally) to it. In an earlier post you once gave me the advice to deal with my tinnitus in this way in order to experience improvement.
  4. KaiT81

    Tinnitus Today Magazine Spring 2018

    Wow, this is great. Thanks for sharing it. Dr. Hubbard recommends the issue of the magazine in an article on the ATA website, and if one searches for it on the Internet, the first thing one finds is your post/thread here.
  5. KaiT81

    Announcement Welcome to Updated Tinnitus Talk!

    Now they have all been visually customised and look great, @Hazel!
  6. KaiT81

    Can Discontinuing Pristiq Help My Reactive Tinnitus? Should I Wear Hearing Protection 24/7?

    May I ask another question beyond my previous post, @MindOverMatter? Do you eventually feel safe and comfortable in your body again, even with the ringing in your ears? Does the emotional reaction to tinnitus subside over time, allowing you to focus on other, more important and beautiful things...
  7. KaiT81

    Can Discontinuing Pristiq Help My Reactive Tinnitus? Should I Wear Hearing Protection 24/7?

    I also try to follow this good advice for myself. I'm in my eighth month of dealing with tinnitus, and I'm still struggling a lot. I take light medication to help me sleep, do relaxation exercises, and try to distract myself with various activities. I also use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with...
  8. KaiT81

    Announcement Welcome to Updated Tinnitus Talk!

    The 'love' and 'like' reactions to posts have been revised and graphically adapted. They look great! Will the other reactions, of which there are so many, also be adapted @Hazel?
  9. KaiT81

    Announcement Welcome to Updated Tinnitus Talk!

    That's a really good idea! I'm already looking forward to it. You first have to find your way around and try out the new site–but for the moment I like it very much, both in terms of the design and the structure!
  10. KaiT81

    From Tinnitus Success Story to Square One After Playing Drums

    Hello @Furetto, I'm glad to hear that you're feeling much better and that you're about to write another success story! I’ve had several really good days in a row, even a solid week, following my setback about a week ago. During that time, the tinnitus bothered me less, and I was able to block...
  11. KaiT81

    Suicidal

    This is a really encouraging and hopeful post for all tinnitus sufferers here. Thank you so much, @Simon101! When you mentioned that the first habituation process takes the longest, how long did it take in your experience? Did you experience any setbacks where you had to habituate again, but...
  12. KaiT81

    From Tinnitus Success Story to Square One After Playing Drums

    How long did it take for it to stop bothering you or for you to become habituated again? Did you do anything specific to help with this, or did you mainly focus on not thinking about it—and succeed? It's really hard to stop thinking about it. Many guides—books, websites, and tinnitus...
  13. KaiT81

    From Tinnitus Success Story to Square One After Playing Drums

    Hello @Furetto, Thank you so much for your kind and supportive words. I don't know you well, or at all really, but from what I’ve seen on this forum, you are one of those rare people who are outgoing, positive, and supportive of others. You don’t need to demean others to elevate yourself, and...
  14. KaiT81

    Tinnitus for 6 Years, Recently Spiked to Moderate/Intense After a Period of Stress/Swollen Ear

    I’m already familiar with the thread and had the impression that it wasn’t very positive and was somewhat difficult to read. But if you think it’s helpful, I’ll give it another try. I’m considering creating my own thread of hope, where I can share all the success stories, hopeful information...
  15. KaiT81

    From Tinnitus Success Story to Square One After Playing Drums

    Yes, that really gives me hope! It's great that you wrote or added this. When you say that habituation has mostly worked for you, does that mean the ringing in your ears doesn't bother you most of the time? Or are you even able to block it out for hours or days, as many people describe? In my...
  16. KaiT81

    Tinnitus for 6 Years, Recently Spiked to Moderate/Intense After a Period of Stress/Swollen Ear

    Are you traveling right now? Have a nice vacation! I'll have another look, although I've actually already read everything in the Success Stories and The Positivity Thread. There's also so much negativity here. Something I really don't need right now. I actually wanted to start my own thread...
  17. KaiT81

    Electrical Head Buzzing Tinnitus — What Has Helped YOU?

    The wonderful tinnitus counselor from the Tinnitus Association Victoria always says exactly the same thing. Thank you so much for the encouragement. You are really great. Thank you for your work for the many tinnitus sufferers here! I will do that—I promise!
  18. KaiT81

    How to Habituate to Tinnitus

    I think my tinnitus is mild to moderate at best—but my reaction to it and my suffering are (still) severe.
  19. KaiT81

    Electrical Head Buzzing Tinnitus — What Has Helped YOU?

    If I’m completely honest with myself, I actually used sound enrichment more as a masking method during the first few months! Even quiet cricket noises are enough to stop me from hearing my tinnitus, which is similar to @Furetto's situation. However, as soon as I switch it off, the tinnitus comes...
  20. KaiT81

    How to Habituate to Tinnitus

    At first, that really freaked me out. However, I completely understand why you reacted the way you did to @Lipshitz's post. Sometimes I wonder about what gets posted here (and I don’t mean your posts, @Michael Leigh), even though this is called the *Tinnitus Talk Support Forum*. I probably...
  21. KaiT81

    Tinnitus for 6 Years, Recently Spiked to Moderate/Intense After a Period of Stress/Swollen Ear

    I think I've read almost all of them, but thank you for your advice. I haven't come across any success stories where people mentioned being on sick leave for a year, but it reassures me to know that it's common with our condition. It's true that everyone has a cross to bear, often hidden from...
  22. KaiT81

    How to Habituate to Tinnitus

    I'm sorry for writing so often and so much, @Michael Leigh. I'm really struggling at the moment. The usual tips about distracting activities, which I've received from many people and have also read from you, aren't helping me this time. My tinnitus is so intrusive that, especially on bad days, I...
  23. KaiT81

    How to Habituate to Tinnitus

    Yes, it really seems that even after six months, I am still in the early stages of dealing with my tinnitus. I wish I were further along! However, what I often read here is that it takes patience and perseverance to learn how to cope with tinnitus. You also mention that the habituation process...
  24. KaiT81

    How to Habituate to Tinnitus

    If I understand correctly, your advice to tinnitus sufferers is to avoid keeping a journal where they record how loud the tinnitus is, how much it bothers them, and how it affects their mood each day. Is that right? That's exactly what I've been doing for the past six months.
  25. KaiT81

    Tinnitus, As I See It

    That's great, @Furetto. Can you tell me in a few words how the blocking feature functions?
  26. KaiT81

    Tinnitus for 6 Years, Recently Spiked to Moderate/Intense After a Period of Stress/Swollen Ear

    I completely understand. Working from home is both a curse and a blessing, especially in our current situation. But it’s helpful if you can keep working. At least, that’s what my tinnitus counselor always tells me, because it signals to your brain that the tinnitus isn’t that threatening, and...
  27. KaiT81

    Tinnitus, As I See It

    If I may say so, I would also like to wish you all the best! Thank you so much for that!
  28. KaiT81

    Intrusive Tinnitus

    I know that I am not practicing sound therapy completely correctly. I still find my tinnitus unbearable on most days, which leads me to want to mask it completely. However, I realize this approach isn’t helpful. I need to find a way to only partially mask the tinnitus or use quiet background...
  29. KaiT81

    Intrusive Tinnitus

    I already do sound therapy, even at night, by playing cricket sounds from my iPhone (completely masking!), which is lying next to me. This helps me fall asleep or go back to sleep when I wake up. But sometimes the iPhone is too far away or covered by a pillow, so I'm sure I often don't "hear" it...
  30. KaiT81

    Tinnitus, As I See It

    I am not a native English speaker, so my question is: by the quoted sentence, do you mean that many tinnitus sufferers struggle for the first six months to a year and then eventually improve? Another thing is that many tinnitus counselors and websites advise against visiting tinnitus forums...
  31. KaiT81

    Tinnitus for 6 Years, Recently Spiked to Moderate/Intense After a Period of Stress/Swollen Ear

    I can completely empathize with you. I had a lot of good days in August, sometimes several in a row. However, the first week of September has been really tough, with only two good days so far—one of which is today! :) I think we just have to hang in there. I know how hard that can be sometimes...
  32. KaiT81

    Tinnitus for 6 Years, Recently Spiked to Moderate/Intense After a Period of Stress/Swollen Ear

    I'll take this advice for myself, too! It's really well-written and well-summarized. I particularly like this part: "For everyone, the protocol is the same: TPP—Time, Patience, Protection."
  33. KaiT81

    How to Habituate to Tinnitus

    Thank you so much for your understanding and encouraging words. I've been using sound enrichment for a few months now. In the beginning stages of my tinnitus, it was more about masking the noise, which I still rely on during particularly bad days. I understand that in order to habituate to...
  34. KaiT81

    From Tinnitus Success Story to Square One After Playing Drums

    Thank you so much for your incredible encouragement! I‘m looking forward to that day, too, when we both habituate and write our success stories!
  35. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    You are already helping others—me, for example! Thank you for that. It would be wonderful if you wrote your success story one day, or if we could both share our success stories, as you mentioned in your thread, "From Tinnitus Success Story to Square One After Playing Drums." You express your...
  36. KaiT81

    How to Habituate to Tinnitus

    I'm six months in, and yes, I'm still having difficulty coping with it. I constantly wonder, will my life ever return to normal again? I am being counseled by two former tinnitus sufferers, now experts and counselors—one from Germany and the other from Australia, from the Tinnitus Association...
  37. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    I don’t want to offend anyone, but I agree with you, @Furetto. Tinnitus sufferers come here for help and encouragement, and that’s why I appreciate @Luman’s responses to my questions so much. I really hope he’s right! For example, in this reply: This gave me incredible encouragement and hope!
  38. KaiT81

    From Tinnitus Success Story to Square One After Playing Drums

    It's a blessing if you have activities early on in your tinnitus journey that can completely distract you from the ringing or help you block it out. After six months, I still rely solely on masking to distract me from or block out my tinnitus, especially on bad days. I think you're on a great...
  39. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    That's a good thought @Luman. If everyone who develops tinnitus were to suffer from it indefinitely, there would likely be a need for not only more websites like Tinnitus Talk, but also for more ENT doctors knowledgeable about habituation. Additionally, the condition would require greater...
  40. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    Thank you for your reply; I think this is good news for @Furetto and me! That's not so good or encouraging. The information from @Luman that you are probably referring to... ...gave me so much hope and encouragement! If I'm being honest, hardly any success story has lifted my spirits like...
  41. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    I feel the same way as you.
  42. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    Hello @Luman and @Furetto, I have a specific question about helpful measures for habituation, which both of you have already achieved, even though @Furetto, unfortunately, experienced a setback. However, I know from your thread, “From Tinnitus Success Story to Square One After Playing Drums,”...
  43. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    Wow, that gives my confidence another huge boost! If things usually only start to get better after the first six months, then I can hopefully expect improvements step by step over the next few weeks or months. And as you can see from the “hopefully,” I always have doubts because I’m still...
  44. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    Yes, but the question is, when will habituation finally start to truly take over? I can’t say I haven’t made any progress over the past six months, but the ringing in my ears still bothers me most of the time, making me feel depressed and anxious. However, as I’ve often read, habituation isn’t...
  45. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    Thank you for your response, even though the unpleasant developments you described scare me even more. Despite everything, I hope you’ll feel better soon and that maybe you’ll be able to habituate again. The issue with medication is also challenging. I take a small dose of mirtazapine to help...
  46. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    Thank you so much @Luman for your support! If I understand the method correctly, the key is not to always measure the loudness of my tinnitus, but to describe my reaction to it and allow all feelings about it, including negative ones? If you don't mind me asking another question: You suffered a...
  47. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    Thank you for your response, the information provided, and your words of encouragement! How I wish I belonged to the two-thirds group of people who don't experience tinnitus distress from the start. Unfortunately, that's not the case for me, so all that remains is the path of habituation. I...
  48. KaiT81

    What’s The Longest Time Habituation Can Take?

    As far as you know, after what time can a person usually gradually start ignoring the noise? What time at the earliest or the latest? I have suffered from tinnitus for six months and still struggle with trouble sleeping, anxiety attacks, feelings of depression, and the inability to go to...
  49. KaiT81

    From Darkness to Light, How I Recovered from Tinnitus & Hyperacusis

    Did you think of me? That's nice. You are a kind person. It's great that you went to the cinema. I hope it was a lovely evening and you had a good time. Thank you again for your kind words, even if they weren't quite as positive as in the last posts. I really hope that my good days are the first...
  50. KaiT81

    From Darkness to Light, How I Recovered from Tinnitus & Hyperacusis

    And in the end, despite their long struggle, did they still acclimate to their situation and regain their lives? Today, I'm having another very bad day (after always having better days, too), and I almost can't believe what you're saying. But your posts still give me a lot of hope and...
  51. KaiT81

    Anxiety from Tinnitus: How Have You Managed?

    Hello, @PennyCat, it's me again. Can I ask you another question? As you said, last summer, you were still hearing your tinnitus over everything or focusing on it a lot, for example, when you were playing Skyrim. At this point, you were in for more than half a year - right? At some point...
  52. KaiT81

    Anxiety from Tinnitus: How Have You Managed?

    Yes, I feel the same (as you once did). And it's really hard for me not to lose faith and confidence that sooner or later I'll be able to experience this, that my brain can tune out this noise and turn to so many other, much more beautiful things.
  53. KaiT81

    Success Is a Matter of Perception

    Thank you for your words. It's really great that, despite your many activities, you take the time to answer questions and offer encouragement. I hope I will habituate soon and/or feel better. What I can say, however, is that I have days (more and more often?) when the noise doesn't bother me as...
  54. KaiT81

    Anxiety from Tinnitus: How Have You Managed?

    Thanks for your words! I am very happy that you achieved such a far-reaching habituation. I hope this will happen to me, too. Not having to think about and hear my tinnitus for 90% of the day would be a VERY big relief compared to how I feel today. I would be VERY happy with it. What I can say...
  55. KaiT81

    Anxiety from Tinnitus: How Have You Managed?

    Thanks a lot for the tips! I've often heard about reading a book (especially outside) and playing a video game, and I enjoy both! So far, I have mainly masked my ear noise, and only in the last few days have I started to face and listen to it more. Complete masking was certainly not conducive...
  56. KaiT81

    Anxiety from Tinnitus: How Have You Managed?

    Thank you for your post. It gives me some hope. I’ve got tinnitus from an ear infection in February 2024. Now I am in my sixth month with it and still heavily struggling with anxiety and still often have mood swings, depressed feelings, anger, and sleep problems. I am eagerly “waiting” for the...
  57. KaiT81

    Success Is a Matter of Perception

    Do you remember when it started that you or your brain could tune out the noise for minutes, hours, and then (large) parts of the day, even though it was actually so loud that when you noticed it, you could hear it over a lot of everyday noise (e.g., when watching television)? And a technical...
  58. KaiT81

    Success Is a Matter of Perception

    Thank you for your answer and for your work on Tinnitus Talk, @Hazel. I am very pleased that after you posted your habituation story, you have made further progress after a year of tinnitus and now only notice your tinnitus when you are very tired or stressed. That means you have achieved a...
  59. KaiT81

    Successful Habituation to Tinnitus — It Is What It Is

    Congratulations @mikki_ on your habituation after almost four years! It's unbelievable what kind of stamina and ability to suffer you had. So, there's still hope for me, considering I'm in my sixth month with tinnitus. I'm still heavily struggling with tinnitus and suffering from insomnia...
  60. KaiT81

    From Darkness to Light, How I Recovered from Tinnitus & Hyperacusis

    Hello, @Della, I'm really thankful for your kind words, and I hope it is okay if I reach out to you one more time. Have you seen or read from people in your time on the forum or in your personal environment who are still heavily struggling after 5 months with tinnitus and eventually got...