Any Recommendations on How to CONTINUOUSLY (Day After Day) Stop Considering Tinnitus a Threat?

[JasonP]

Because I have had depression flare ups before and after tinnitus, it can be hard for me to stabilize. For years, I have been experimenting to try to lower my T. At this point, I think I can only get it so low, and at least for the foreseeable future, it is going to fluctuate. Because of some noise damage over a year ago, it made my tinnitus more aggravating as the maskers on my hearing aids are distorted more when they are on. That was my backup when things got bad and now it doesn't sound as calming. I probably could have habituated much more easy if I did not have the noise damage. At any rate, I don't see how I can eliminate it so I need to accept it. The problem is, due to emotional fluctuations, its hard for me accept for an extended period of time. I think the longest I have gone in a row is 30 days and that is because I was able to get it low everyday and was also doing well emotionally. Sometimes, I can be fine and then I go to a store and hear it and it puts me on edge. Other times, not so.

I realize that there is no point and it does no good to let it bother me. Is it possible if I say this over and over again that my mind will eventually accept it? To give you a little background, I think I have PTSD from loud tinnitus from over 3 years ago when it was causing me to have mental breakdowns at work. Ever since, it has been something I have thought about every day unfortunately, BUT when it does not bother me, I think about it a lot less.

I think my mind "scans" negative thoughts and if a negative emotion happens at that time, then it can be hard to get out of my mind until the emotions go away. I do however, think I will be able to get better at handling this even when I am down as I have improved this past year. Any suggestions to stop considering it a threat and start having more "clear thinking".

 

[Jkph75]

Well, is it actually a threat? Are you losing your hearing? Do you have other symptoms that could indicate that you have a serious condition?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then I wouldn't spend time trying to convince yourself that it is no big deal. If it is just the T, then it is just that nothing more or less. It's annoying and that's really all it is. Just from being on this board I have observed that t and ocd seem to go hand in hand. The more you obsess over it the worse it will be. Work on your mental health and the t might ease up, if that is the cause of your T.

 

[william adams]

I cant believe how many of my relatives and friends have T. On one occasion there were 5 of us together and 3 out of the 5 people had T. My T I can here over almost everything TV , Radio, driving in the car. I just got to the point that I was tired of worrying and getting stressed about it and started focusing on my job, hobbies and what I like to do befor I got T and most of the time I dont hear it. So I have habituated. Dont get me wrong there are times that I here it but just dont give a shit anymore. At night I do play nature sounds with birds , crickets, waterfalls . and etc. and sleep well. The biggest help for me is I do weight training at the local gym and am considering yoga or tai chi.

 

[stophiss]

I have told you repeatedly you need therapy and almost certainty drug assistance to even begin the process of habituation. Many don't but you do. This is only my opinion to be confirmed by seeing a therapist.

Good luck.

 

[stophiss]

Well, is it actually a threat? Are you losing your hearing? Do you have other symptoms that could indicate that you have a serious condition?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then I wouldn't spend time trying to convince yourself that it is no big deal. If it is just the T, then it is just that nothing more or less. It's annoying and that's really all it is. Just from being on this board I have observed that t and ocd seem to go hand in hand. The more you obsess over it the worse it will be. Work on your mental health and the t might ease up, if that is the cause of your T.

I agree with much of your post including OCD and tinnitus which may in fact be related and why so many struggle with habituating.
But where I disagree is...you infer that mental health is a choice...something you can choose, will or order up. No, mental health isn't a choice or all the profoundly mentally ill people throughout the world including those in institutions could be cured by so called positive thinking seminars...lol. Mental health can't be willed just like habituation often asked about can't be chosen or willed. Good mental health is a reaction to normal brain chemistry which eludes many with tinnitus. This is when drug intervention is required to restore brain chemistry to allow acceptance and less hyper focus and allow habituation. Further...staying on AD meds for life isn't always required to maintain habituation. Once new behavior patterns and neural pathways are forged, sometimes a given patient on AD meds can go off or dramatically reduce dosage whereby mental homeostasis can be maintained.

 

[PaulBe]

But where I disagree is...you infer that mental health is a choice...

I really don't think he set out to, but it does raise a point of interest. I think calling someone "a bit OCD" has entered the language to stay unfortunately, but its usually more a comment on behaviour generally than it is on mental illness. Real, diagnostic OCD is a whole different ballgame. Personally I don't care for the use of mental health jargon filtering into everyday language because it becomes a bit devaluing of the real thing, but, that's how language gets constructed and evolves I suppose. "I'm a bit OCD", "she's a bit schizo", etc etc. That said, jpkh's observation (as intended) is probably pretty close to the mark though. I'm sure having some obsessive personally traits makes it harder for some of us to deal with it all. Myself? Guilty as charged.

"He's a bit leprosy" just doesn't quite cut it does it. It does sort of work better co-opting mental health language.

 

[PaulBe]

JasonP, are you Australian, or is that JasonC I'm thinking of?

 

[stophiss]

I really don't think he set out to, but it does raise a point of interest. I think calling someone "a bit OCD" has entered the language to stay unfortunately, but its usually more a comment on behaviour generally than it is on mental illness. Real, diagnostic OCD is a whole different ballgame. Personally I don't care for the use of mental health jargon filtering into everyday language because it becomes a bit devaluing of the real thing, but, that's how language gets constructed and evolves I suppose. "I'm a bit OCD", "she's a bit schizo", etc etc. That said, jpkh's observation (as intended) is probably pretty close to the mark though. I'm sure having some obsessive personally traits makes it harder for some of us to deal with it all. Myself? Guilty as charged.

"He's a bit leprosy" just doesn't quite cut it does it. It does sort of work better co-opting mental health language.

Well then Paul...let's try to put a finer point on it.
Do you think that everybody can habituate to their tinnitus? If not, why not?
Do you think anti depressant meds changes a person's mental health? If not, why not?
Do you think that a person may be able to habituate easier to tinnitus with a change in their brain chemistry due to taking AD meds?

To me...and I believe you are being semantical in your response...one of the biggest impediments to habituation is mental health. Perhaps you disagree. Your preoccupation to stigma and even degree of mental health or mental illness is incidental. This even includes your comment relative to OCD. Pretty much everything in nature fits somewhere on statistical distribution. The 10th fastest human on the planet isn't the fastest but still fast. There are people who lives are controlled by the repetition of OCD and others who have a strong need for order and adhere to ritualistic behavior and in some ways they are successful by 'mild' OCD tendencies. A statistical distribution as is in everything including mental health. I have known several medical professionals that believe the smartest doctors are high functioning autistics with Asperger's. These same doctors generally have the worst bed side manner.
Mental health and/or mental illness affects ability to cope with something like tinnitus that can't be controlled.
My thoughts.

 

[JasonP]

I agree with much of your post including OCD and tinnitus which may in fact be related and why so many struggle with habituating.
But where I disagree is...you infer that mental health is a choice...something you can choose, will or order up. No, mental health isn't a choice or all the profoundly mentally ill people throughout the world including those in institutions could be cured by so called positive thinking seminars...lol. Mental health can't be willed just like habituation often asked about can't be chosen or willed. Good mental health is a reaction to normal brain chemistry which eludes many with tinnitus. This is when drug intervention is required to restore brain chemistry to allow acceptance and less hyper focus and allow habituation. Further...staying on AD meds for life isn't always required to maintain habituation. Once new behavior patterns and neural pathways are forged, sometimes a given patient on AD meds can go off or dramatically reduce dosage whereby mental homeostasis can be maintained.

I agree with you. Got any suggestions for drugs for OCD that don't numb people out? My problem is I have cyclothymia where my moods fluctuate and its hard for me to deal with T some days, but on really bad days, its hard for me to take my focus off it. That probably is due to OCD thoughts because I feel I have to "fix it" and if I can't I feel "distraught". Any suggestions for meds? I did not do good on SSRI's because they made my mood swings fluctuate to an extreme. Sure there were days where I didn't give a crap about tinnitus but then other days where I did. SSRI's can be bad news for people with bipolar II or cyclothymia.

 

[stophiss]

I agree with you. Got any suggestions for drugs for OCD that don't numb people out? My problem is I have cyclothymia where my moods fluctuate and its hard for me to deal with T some days, but on really bad days, its hard for me to take my focus off it. That probably is due to OCD thoughts because I feel I have to "fix it" and if I can't I feel "distraught". Any suggestions for meds? I did not do good on SSRI's because they made my mood swings fluctuate to an extreme. Sure there were days where I didn't give a crap about tinnitus but then other days where I did. SSRI's can be bad news for people with bipolar II or cyclothymia.

Cool. My suggestion is...call around to find a suitable therapist through your general doctor aka GP. Set the table up front and explain that tinnitus is causing you major distress. Based upon suggestions of one or more therapists before you fill the prescription... post here for advice/consensus based upon experience relative to a given medication and contact glynis for her advice as she knows more about meds that are compatible with tinnitus than anybody here IMHO.

Best medication which btw is highly dependent on dosage is largely trial and error and why you want to proceed cautiously but good to hear you want to change the trajectory of your suffering and changing brain chemistry through medication is a great place to start if you can't modify your mood and behavior through lifestyle changes.

Best of luck Jason.

 

[Melissa101]

I'm v lucky that I've never had very bad T thus habituation for me was quick. However, I ABSOLUTELY believe that pretty much anyone can habituate with the right techniques and advice. Here's why....

I have Generalised anxiety disorder with panic attacks. About 5 years ago I was suffering nervous exhaustion to the point where I was terrified to leave the house. Prob due to the lack of stimulus I began to becone aware of my heartbeat, its sound, its rhythm, frequency, irregularities. Fast forward and I became so hyper sensitive to it that I could hear it and feel it 24/7, where ever I was and whatever I was doing. It was torture, I felt like I was some messed up gothic horror story or an Edgar Allan-Poe book!

I eventually overcame this and nowadays don't care about what my heart is doing. Like T, nothing has changed. Its still there, beating away the same as it always has but I've I just became less aware and less sensituve to it. Habituated.

'The mind is it's own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven....' (Milton) - such a true quote with this stuff!

 

[stophiss]

I'm v lucky that I've never had very bad T thus habituation for me was quick. However, I ABSOLUTELY believe that pretty much anyone can habituate with the right techniques and advice. Here's why....

I have Generalised anxiety disorder with panic attacks. About 5 years ago I was suffering nervous exhaustion to the point where I was terrified to leave the house. Prob due to the lack of stimulus I began to becone aware of my heartbeat, its sound, its rhythm, frequency, irregularities. Fast forward and I became so hyper sensitive to it that I could hear it and feel it 24/7, where ever I was and whatever I was doing. It was torture, I felt like I was some messed up gothic horror story or an Edgar Allan-Poe book!

I eventually overcame this and nowadays don't care about what my heart is doing. Like T, nothing has changed. Its still there, beating away the same as it always has but I've I just became less aware and less sensituve to it. Habituated.

'The mind is it's own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven....' (Milton) - such a true quote with this stuff!

In bold...I don't. I believe this is myth that everybody can through technique, advice and I will throw in willfulness. To me, this a narrow minded view. Sure, you overcame a lot but not everybody can. Mental illness is real. People can dismiss it but it exists on this forum and out in society. No amount of advice or relaxation techniques from bio feedback to living in the spa can cure a subset of people. Btw, I habituated to my tinnitus without medication and I too have had panic attacks. Can't paint all with a broad brush. Further, no two people suffer the same symptoms of T and/or H. Some will need medication to habituate. Not to single out Jason and I want to say Jason, you have my respect for speaking out in your behalf in search of feeling better...but somebody with bi-polar disorder and/or acute OCD may have a very difficult time habituating to tinnitus without medication to offset the brain chemistry and behavioral habits which forge neural pathways which are hard to reverse without drug interdiction.

In summary, I hear a lot of despair and willfulness on this forum. Some will habituate just fine after months. In fact some rare individuals who have excellent overall mental health will even habituate to the most sinister of tinnitus...acute, intrusive tinnitus...even without medication. One size doesn't fit for tinnitus or the ability to habituate and why it is so discussed.

 

[RaZaH]

@stophiss I think I might definitely be helped by some anti-depressants , but I am scared of drugs , all drugs .
Countless posts on here and all over the web of people getting worse from AD...as well as everything else.
Any advice ?

 

[JasonP]

Cool. My suggestion is...call around to find a suitable therapist through your general doctor aka GP. Set the table up front and explain that tinnitus is causing you major distress. Based upon suggestions of one or more therapists before you fill the prescription... post here for advice/consensus based upon experience relative to a given medication and contact glynis for her advice as she knows more about meds that are compatible with tinnitus than anybody here IMHO.

Best medication which btw is highly dependent on dosage is largely trial and error and why you want to proceed cautiously but good to hear you want to change the trajectory of your suffering and changing brain chemistry through medication is a great place to start if you can't modify your mood and behavior through lifestyle changes.

Best of luck Jason.

Thanks I would like to take a medication called Riluzole for OCD and depression which I think would also help with my T because it lowers glutamate. I know glutamate levels have some kind of effect on my T but it is not the only thing. It's worth a chance to me. Can't find anyone who will prescribe it for me as it is not FDA approved for OCD or depression but could be used off-label if someone is willing to let me try it.

 

[JasonP]

In bold...I don't. I believe this is myth that everybody can through technique, advice and I will throw in willfulness. To me, this a narrow minded view. Sure, you overcame a lot but not everybody can. Mental illness is real. People can dismiss it but it exists on this forum and out in society. No amount of advice or relaxation techniques from bio feedback to living in the spa can cure a subset of people. Btw, I habituated to my tinnitus without medication and I too have had panic attacks. Can't paint all with a broad brush. Further, no two people suffer the same symptoms of T and/or H. Some will need medication to habituate. Not to single out Jason and I want to say Jason, you have my respect for speaking out in your behalf in search of feeling better...but somebody with bi-polar disorder and/or acute OCD may have a very difficult time habituating to tinnitus without medication to offset the brain chemistry and behavioral habits which forge neural pathways which are hard to reverse without drug interdiction.

In summary, I hear a lot of despair and willfulness on this forum. Some will habituate just fine after months. In fact some rare individuals who have excellent overall mental health will even habituate to the most sinister of tinnitus...acute, intrusive tinnitus...even without medication. One size doesn't fit for tinnitus or the ability to habituate and why it is so discussed.

You can single me out. I totally agree with you.

 

[stophiss]

@stophiss I think I might definitely be helped by some anti-depressants , but I am scared of drugs , all drugs .
Countless posts on here and all over the web of people getting worse from AD...as well as everything else.
Any advice ?

My advice with meds RAZaH is tread very lightly. Research the heck out of anything you would consider. Contact glynis for her advice. Poll the audience here with their experience relative to a given med and ask about dosage and frequency relative to body weight. Drugs can be the salvation of somebody on the edge or a long term scourge.
I think if you do your homework to learn side effects of anything you would consider taking you will be fine.
The notion of willfulness is just plain silly and yet many believe self determination can solve their mental illness. No. There is nothing deterministic about mental health. Ask the sanest and happiest people you know if they choose their mental health. They will say, no, I have always been that way. I have seen bi-polar disorder up close and personal in a loved one. It is far from a choice and medicine is a blessing to restore brain chemistry that isn't provided by nature.
Good luck RaZaH.

 

[GregCA]

In bold...I don't. I believe this is myth that everybody can through technique, advice and I will throw in willfulness. To me, this a narrow minded view. Sure, you overcame a lot but not everybody can. Mental illness is real.

Are you implying that if you can't/don't habituate, it's because you suffer from mental illness?

 

[Rubenslash]

@stophiss Not sure if you are aware but there are some people here who got (severe) T due to SSRI's. I guess it's quite rare, but still a significant risk to consider.

 

[Melissa101]

In bold...I don't. I believe this is myth that everybody can through technique, advice and I will throw in willfulness. To me, this a narrow minded view. Sure, you overcame a lot but not everybody can. Mental illness is real. People can dismiss it but it exists on this forum and out in society. No amount of advice or relaxation techniques from bio feedback to living in the spa can cure a subset of people. Btw, I habituated to my tinnitus without medication and I too have had panic attacks. Can't paint all with a broad brush. Further, no two people suffer the same symptoms of T and/or H. Some will need medication to habituate. Not to single out Jason and I want to say Jason, you have my respect for speaking out in your behalf in search of feeling better...but somebody with bi-polar disorder and/or acute OCD may have a very difficult time habituating to tinnitus without medication to offset the brain chemistry and behavioral habits which forge neural pathways which are hard to reverse without drug interdiction.

In summary, I hear a lot of despair and willfulness on this forum. Some will habituate just fine after months. In fact some rare individuals who have excellent overall mental health will even habituate to the most sinister of tinnitus...acute, intrusive tinnitus...even without medication. One size doesn't fit for tinnitus or the ability to habituate and why it is so discussed.

I know mental illness is real. I have a chronic mental illness and my boyfriend suffers from bipolar disorder and has done since his teens. I've also spent a lot of time around people in support groups with a range of mental health disorders, including people who hear voices but are leading happy, if challenging, lives.

With regards to habituation, the reason I think that it's possible for anyone is because I've overcame obsessions with bodily sensations and my mental health is very poor sometimes. I just feel that if I can do it, anyone can. That's not to say that if someone doesn't habituate that I feel it's their fault in some way, I def don't. I just think people shouldn't write themselves off. It's so easy to lose hope and belief in yourself but we all have inner strength, even if sometimes we're stuck in a black hole and can't see the way out.

 

[stophiss]

@stophiss Not sure if you are aware but there are some people here who got (severe) T due to SSRI's. I guess it's quite rare, but still a significant risk to consider.

Yes, fully aware but again too broad a brush. Any med can be abused for example...in both dosage and time duration.
Further SSRI's aren't all the same. Lastly, SSRI's sometimes get pegged as the reason for increase in tinnitus. This is very difficult to prove. Some for example have large spikes that can even be permanent without medication and very difficult to prove the root cause.

 

[stophiss]

I know mental illness is real. I have a chronic mental illness and my boyfriend suffers from bipolar disorder and has done since his teens. I've also spent a lot of time around people in support groups with a range of mental health disorders, including people who hear voices but are leading happy, if challenging, lives.

With regards to habituation, the reason I think that it's possible for anyone is because I've overcame obsessions with bodily sensations and my mental health is very poor sometimes. I just feel that if I can do it, anyone can. That's not to say that if someone doesn't habituate that I feel it's their fault in some way, I def don't. I just think people shouldn't write themselves off. It's so easy to lose hope and belief in yourself but we all have inner strength, even if sometimes we're stuck in a black hole and can't see the way out.

No...you don't know all of mental illness. You are extrapolating from your limited experience. The world is much bigger than the sphere you have experience in. Just because you and other anecdotal accounts allows habituation without drug intervention doesn't mean a subset can habituate without medication. People vary in inner strength for example. Why so many take their lives needlessly why others that have limbs blown off in war want to live so desperately. Free will is a myth. Each person possesses different capability. All people can't habituate without medication independent of the severity of their tinnitus. Others can without meds that have extreme tinnitus others could never habituate to. OK to share your experience of course.

 

[GregCA]

I just feel that if I can do it, anyone can.

One thing to consider is that you only know what you have to face in terms of T. Others face other types of T monsters that could potentially be harder to tame, so just because you've been able to do it doesn't necessarily mean others should also be able to. Stating so may inappropriately make them feel inadequate and weak.

I know some "experts" disagree, but I personally think the volume of T is positively correlated with the difficulty one has to habituate or cope.
It's clear to me, from reading all posts here about spikes, that one of the top fears for most T sufferers is whether it's going to increase in volume, which confirms the hypothesis that the higher the volume, the more difficult we sufferers think it is to handle.

 

[Melissa101]

I don't believe I know everything nor do I think I'm an expert in mental health. I do, however, believe in being open-minded and receptive to the possibility of change.

You seem very fixed in your views and ways of thinking which probably makes habituation harder.

Why we have mental illness or why people respond in different ways to trauma is, of course, very complex and the relative contributions of genetics and environment are much debated in the literature. Maybe one day we'll know, maybe not.

 

[stophiss]

Are you implying that if you can't/don't habituate, it's because you suffer from mental illness?

Difficult to answer. As you point out, mental illness...the term is quite broad. Without mentioning names...you read this forum, there are members here that fit the profile of some level of mental illness without a formal evaluation and in my opinion, they have no chance to habituate. Perhaps you have even heard of temporary mental illness aka a psychotic episode. When tinnitus is initially contracted, it puts many over the edge...some to the extreme. Many with a previous history of anxiety or depression have been on medication at one time or another in their lives and no longer are on medication which btw is not uncommon. This Greg is mental illness. I have been on medication at one period of my life for anxiety for example. Also, level of severity of tinnitus can affect the time period to habituate as well...if it is even possible in certain cases.

I hope testimonials come forward Greg. We can ask those that have tried to habituate for a year without success if they have tried AD meds.

 

[stophiss]

I don't believe I know everything nor do I think I'm an expert in mental health. I do, however, believe in being open-minded and receptive to the possibility of change.

You seem very fixed in your views and ways of thinking which probably makes habituation harder.

Why we have mental illness or why people respond in different ways to trauma is, of course, very complex and the relative contributions of genetics and environment are much debated in the literature. Maybe one day we'll know, maybe not.

You are even wrong...in bold above about that Melissa. I habituated in about 6 months without meds. As to the further comedy you write about me being rigid in my views...you are projecting Melissa. It is you who believes in the silly notion of free will and not I. People don't always have a choice to choose the best path for them based upon their mental health...any more than a drunk person makes the best decisions due to change in brain chemistry. Your single minded or rather rigid view doesn't comport with reality. Glad you habituated though after being to a dark place.

 

[stophiss]

One thing to consider is that you only know what you have to face in terms of T. Others face other types of T monsters that could potentially be harder to tame, so just because you've been able to do it doesn't necessarily mean others should also be able to. Stating so may inappropriately make them feel inadequate and weak.

I know some "experts" disagree, but I personally think the volume of T is positively correlated with the difficulty one has to habituate or cope.
It's clear to me, from reading all posts here about spikes, that one of the top fears for most T sufferers is whether it's going to increase in volume, which confirms the hypothesis that the higher the volume, the more difficult we sufferers think it is to handle.

That I agree with and in fact it can't be emphasized enough how dramatically different tinnitus is for many people which can affect their ability to habituate or just cope on a daily basis. My swings in tinnitus and my tinnitus which doesn't exceed the moderate level can even be challenging but no comparison to those with severe tinnitus I have profound empathy for and there is a long list of great people here with that condition that hopefully one day there will be help for.

 

[Melissa101]

One thing to consider is that you only know what you have to face in terms of T. Others face other types of T monsters that could potentially be harder to tame, so just because you've been able to do it doesn't necessarily mean others should also be able to. Stating so may inappropriately make them feel inadequate and weak.

I know some "experts" disagree, but I personally think the volume of T is positively correlated with the difficulty one has to habituate or cope.
It's clear to me, from reading all posts here about spikes, that one of the top fears for most T sufferers is whether it's going to increase in volume, which confirms the hypothesis that the higher the volume, the more difficult we sufferers think it is to handle.

I also said in my post that I in no way felt that failure to habituate was in any way the fault of the sufferer. My point is that having the attitude of 'I can't habituate and never will' is to presume things about yourself that you don't know to be true.

 

[GregCA]

Difficult to answer. As you point out, mental illness...the term is quite broad. Without mentioning names...you read this forum, there are members here that fit the profile of some level of mental illness without a formal evaluation and in my opinion, they have no chance to habituate. Perhaps you have even heard of temporary mental illness aka a psychotic episode. When tinnitus is initially contracted, it puts many over the edge...some to the extreme. Many with a previous history of anxiety or depression have been on medication at one time or another in their lives and no longer are on medication which btw is not uncommon. This Greg is mental illness.

Saying that someone with mental illness may have a harder time habituating is different from saying that if you don't habituate it's because you are suffering from mental illness. I don't doubt that people with mental illness can have a harder time habituating to T.

My only point is that when A implies B, it doesn't necessarily mean that B implies A.

 

[Melissa101]

You are even wrong...in bold above about that Melissa. I habituated in about 6 months without meds.

Hey Stophiss, I'm just trying to put some positivity into the thread and have no desire to argue with you. I'm glad that you habituated. Peace and love

 

[stophiss]

Hey Stophiss, I'm just trying to put some positivity into the thread and have no desire to argue with you. I'm glad that you habituated. Peace and love

Hey Melissa, I'm just adding a dose of reality to your positivity. We can all sing kumbya and habituate together without meds and too bad for those that can't. We are all friends here but if we don't agree, its ok to share our views and agree to disagree. I believe the truth has some relevance and cheers to your positivity.