18th Birthday with Tinnitus

[Joe4]

I was finally 18 on Tuesday so I can now buy a pint, go skydiving amongest many other things now. I personally don't look forward to my birthdays as I have strong dislike to being the centre of attention and needless fuss however I do normally enjoy them.

It is seemingly custom in the UK to go to a nightclub and drink yourself into a night in hospital and get your stomach pumped. Now the second part of that proposition has never been appealing to me for obvious reasons but I love house/EDM music so night out dancing to Martin Garrix and Avicii has always been how I envisioned my 18th birthday. This for obvious reasons is now less appealing to me. Also being a Tuesday wasn't ideal to go clubbing so spent the night in the pub with the lads from football discussing football. I am the youngest there by far (others are 25-45) but I love the more mature nature of the pub and the mature nature of the lads that I don't get from my college friends. So this was therefore the ideal way to spend my birthday.

However this only prolongs the fact of friends asking me to go clubbing and me telling them no. My friends after a lot of explaining now understand why tinnitus is "annoying" but they now struggle to understand that loud noise makes it worse.
"Well if it will just hurt what's the point in losing your social life just for a few hours of pain?" Is the main question I am left in despair trying to answer. Trying to explain the fact it probably won't hurt as I'm not hyperacustic and it will make it permanently worse and chasing very attractive women when you are a 3 on a good day is not your entire "social life". I feel this will only get worse as I go to university but that's life they'll just have to accept it.

So walking home from the pub Tuesday night I stopped as I often do at a spot that looks up to minera mountain and the highest village in Wales. The view is blissful at night with the lights illuminating the mountain side. I pondered my "childhood" stage of my life as it is now deemed to be over. It was mixed with pride and disappointment. I have accomplished so much academically and athletically that I should be immensely proud but unfortunately the legacy of my childhood will be tinnitus and this is something I will just have to accept.

Many thanks
Joe

 

[Philippe79]

I do feel for you pal. Thinking back to all the clubs I used to go to in my younger days I think about how the bass used to pound my ears and at the time think nothing of it. Why would I, I don't think anybody does. Clubs are the worse in my opinion, people just don't realise. Obviously, most will get away with it but certain people like us won't. As for your friends, nobody understands T apart from the sufferers, I've learnt to accept that's just the way it is. In someways I think to myself how did my ears survive for so long and in other ways I think I've not pounded my ears anymore than anyone else I know. Tinnitus in many ways just comes down to bad luck.

 

[glynis]

@Joe4,
Happy Belated 18th Birthday.
Love glynis

 

[Joe4]

@glynis thank you! And @Philippe79 I understand and agree with what you're saying. Sometimes it does just feel like bad luck. I don't think I'll miss out on much by not going to clubs as there are plenty of bars and pubs which I'll likely enjoy more.

 

[Philippe79]

I never really enjoyed it that much anyway (clubs), just did it because all my mates did. I never felt like I was missing out. Just be careful because bars and pubs can be loud too, though generally not as much. I always wear earplugs at bars and occasionally pubs but that's my choice!

 

[Joe4]

I'm the same with ear plugs in bars. Pubs are generally ok but that's likely due to the fact they are never full anymore which is a shame.

 

[Jcb]

I was finally 18 on Tuesday so I can now buy a pint, go skydiving amongest many other things now. I personally don't look forward to my birthdays as I have strong dislike to being the centre of attention and needless fuss however I do normally enjoy them.

It is seemingly custom in the UK to go to a nightclub and drink yourself into a night in hospital and get your stomach pumped. Now the second part of that proposition has never been appealing to me for obvious reasons but I love house/EDM music so night out dancing to Martin Garrix and Avicii has always been how I envisioned my 18th birthday. This for obvious reasons is now less appealing to me. Also being a Tuesday wasn't ideal to go clubbing so spent the night in the pub with the lads from football discussing football. I am the youngest there by far (others are 25-45) but I love the more mature nature of the pub and the mature nature of the lads that I don't get from my college friends. So this was therefore the ideal way to spend my birthday.

However this only prolongs the fact of friends asking me to go clubbing and me telling them no. My friends after a lot of explaining now understand why tinnitus is "annoying" but they now struggle to understand that loud noise makes it worse.
"Well if it will just hurt what's the point in losing your social life just for a few hours of pain?" Is the main question I am left in despair trying to answer. Trying to explain the fact it probably won't hurt as I'm not hyperacustic and it will make it permanently worse and chasing very attractive women when you are a 3 on a good day is not your entire "social life". I feel this will only get worse as I go to university but that's life they'll just have to accept it.

So walking home from the pub Tuesday night I stopped as I often do at a spot that looks up to minera mountain and the highest village in Wales. The view is blissful at night with the lights illuminating the mountain side. I pondered my "childhood" stage of my life as it is now deemed to be over. It was mixed with pride and disappointment. I have accomplished so much academically and athletically that I should be immensely proud but unfortunately the legacy of my childhood will be tinnitus and this is something I will just have to accept.

Many thanks
Joe

Happy belated birthday man.
I know it's so frustrating when people seem to think it's just a minor annoyance, some people just don't get it sometimes. It they are your true friends they'll be ok in the end. I agree with going to a nice pub with your plugs in can be just as enjoyable as a alternative to going to a club (which I have done more than my fare shair back in the day)
Unfortunately it can be down to just plain bad luck sometimes, but being sensible regarding your ears is probably best. You don't have to stop living your life by any means just make a few adjustments and I'm sure you'll be loving life.