Back to Silence

[dafooz]

I have been finding Back to Silence useful during the day but am having trouble at night when going to bed.

 

[Henry Orlando FL]

I have been finding Back to Silence useful during the day but am having trouble at night when going to bed.

Many people have a white noise machine, or and electronic version, that they use for sleeping. I presume you are using one of them. If not, I would suggest you begin. I would also suggest you focus your attention on the sound of the white noise machine when you go to bed to sleep. If your mind wonders from the white noise sound, just note the feeling (don't bother to write it down) and go back to focusing on the white noise sound. Better still is to have the white noise on of course and then when you get into bed, begin to focus your attention on your breathing. As you breathe in, think to yourself "calm" and as you breath out think "relax". You keep doing that until you probably do just slip into sleep.

I hope this is useful.

 

[ZFire]

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever received here was NOT to mask the tinnitus, but to dedicate countless hours intentionally and actively listening to the tinnitus, especially when one is sleeping. This helped expedite the habituation process for me personally.

I covered my head and ears with pillows, so tinnitus would be the only thing I hear. Over time, my brain grew disinterested and eventually became accustomed to the sound. I think there's something about this method that helped me adapt more quickly. It is worth trying if you're a newcomer.

I can't say that I'm fond of the idea of masking one's tinnitus, especially while sleeping. I have trouble masking my tinnitus to begin with. But ultimately, I feel like trying to mask it is signaling to your brain that it is a threat and that you're trying to run away from it. IMO. It is better to get acclimated to it as best as possible. It's a form of acceptance in a way.

But to each their own. Everyone's different on how they manage this condition.

 

[Lurius]

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever received here was NOT to mask the tinnitus, but to dedicate countless hours intentionally and actively listening to the tinnitus, especially when one is sleeping. This helped expedite the habituation process for me personally.

I covered my head and ears with pillows, so tinnitus would be the only thing I hear. Over time, my brain grew disinterested and eventually became accustomed to the sound. I think there's something about this method that helped me adapt more quickly. It is worth trying if you're a newcomer.

I can't say that I'm fond of the idea of masking one's tinnitus, especially while sleeping. I have trouble masking my tinnitus to begin with. But ultimately, I feel like trying to mask it is signaling to your brain that it is a threat and that you're trying to run away from it. IMO. It is better to get acclimated to it as best as possible. It's a form of acceptance in a way.

But to each their own. Everyone's different on how they manage this condition.

I couldn't agree more. I also think that sleeping with a fan on every single night for 2 years helped a lot.

 

[Henry Orlando FL]

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever received here was NOT to mask the tinnitus, but to dedicate countless hours intentionally and actively listening to the tinnitus, especially when one is sleeping. This helped expedite the habituation process for me personally.

I covered my head and ears with pillows, so tinnitus would be the only thing I hear. Over time, my brain grew disinterested and eventually became accustomed to the sound. I think there's something about this method that helped me adapt more quickly. It is worth trying if you're a newcomer.

I can't say that I'm fond of the idea of masking one's tinnitus, especially while sleeping. I have trouble masking my tinnitus to begin with. But ultimately, I feel like trying to mask it is signaling to your brain that it is a threat and that you're trying to run away from it. IMO. It is better to get acclimated to it as best as possible. It's a form of acceptance in a way.

But to each their own. Everyone's different on how they manage this condition.

I would agree with the each their own and different strokes for different folks aspect.

What you are talking about with the "becoming accustomed to the sound" aspect is one I use. I found out about the approach of Glenn Schweitzer via his book Rewiring Tinnitus. He has a website with some free resources and does offer coaching if needed. I did not need it as the book was enough. I find that approach worked well for me and seems very compatible with the Back to Silence method. I still use both today and I am very much habituated.

Nothing in the Back to Silence method requires one to mask or to stop listening to the sound(s) one has. Sort of just "let it be" if you will and don't be monitoring it all the time... certainly the method is into acceptance. Here is my boil down on how the model is applied in case it is useful to others:

The "Back to Silence" method calls for not measuring the sound(s), not to monitor the tinnitus sound(s) or focus on it, do not describe the sound(s) or compare the sound(s). Another way to think about it is to follow the four "don'ts" of the Back to Silence method:

1. Don't measure it.
2. Don't monitor it.
3. Don't describe it.
4. Don't compare it.

Do the following:

1. STOP talking about tinnitus, measuring it, comparing it, describing it, and thinking about it.
2. When you hear the sound(s), tell yourself, "I hear it, I feel ..." (insert your true emotion)
3. Make a note of this incidence (just put a hash mark for instance and add them up daily... the total will go down over time) and each emotional response in a word or two on paper is best, review your paper weekly to see the change in your responses.

Once you get to less than 5 or 10 incidences per day, you can stop writing them down and only do it in your head since you do not have to speak it aloud to get the result. If you don't want to write it down, OK, give it a try just verbally and see how it goes. If you do not notice a decrease in incidences over time, then begin to write them down to keep a count even if it is only a hash mark to keep the count.

 

[Francesco]

I wanted to give this a real try, starting today, and I immediately failed applying rule one.

Given my 24/7 tinnitus, how can I not think about it? I put a check mark, express out loud how I feel and keep watching TV. Then my tinnitus is still (well obviously) there. How do I drive my attention away? I soon find myself thinking about all sort of tinnitus related things, like therapies, doctors, exams, problems and so forth.

TV is not enough I guess, I need something that catches all my attention, mind and body, like the gym.

Any takes/suggestions on this?

 

[Jammer]

I wanted to give this a real try, starting today, and I immediately failed applying rule one.

Given my 24/7 tinnitus, how can I not think about it? I put a check mark, express out loud how I feel and keep watching TV. Then my tinnitus is still (well obviously) there. How do I drive my attention away? I soon find myself thinking about all sort of tinnitus related things, like therapies, doctors, exams, problems and so forth.

TV is not enough I guess, I need something that catches all my attention, mind and body, like the gym.

Any takes/suggestions on this?

I'm on my cell scrolling 16 hours a day. Really the only thing that takes my mind off the tinnitus. I'm retired BTW.

 

[MindOverMatter]

I wanted to give this a real try, starting today, and I immediately failed applying rule one.

Given my 24/7 tinnitus, how can I not think about it? I put a check mark, express out loud how I feel and keep watching TV. Then my tinnitus is still (well obviously) there. How do I drive my attention away? I soon find myself thinking about all sort of tinnitus related things, like therapies, doctors, exams, problems and so forth.

TV is not enough I guess, I need something that catches all my attention, mind and body, like the gym.

Any takes/suggestions on this?

You need to indulge yourself with something that gives you joy and brings mindfulness to your head.

Turning things around takes a lot of time. We are talking months and possibly years. It all depends upon many factors...

 

[Francesco]

You need to indulge yourself with something that gives you joy and brings mindfulness to your head.

Turning things around takes a lot of time. We are talking months and possibly years. It all depends upon many factors...

Considering I have an anxiety disorder, I doubt something like that exists for me right now.

 

[MindOverMatter]

Unfortunately, there is nothing easy about bothersome tinnitus @Francesco. There are no quick fixes.

Dealing with your anxiety disorder would be the first step here. This will help you with moving forward with tinnitus.

 

[Henry Orlando FL]

I wanted to give this a real try, starting today, and I immediately failed applying rule one.

Given my 24/7 tinnitus, how can I not think about it? I put a check mark, express out loud how I feel and keep watching TV. Then my tinnitus is still (well obviously) there. How do I drive my attention away? I soon find myself thinking about all sort of tinnitus related things, like therapies, doctors, exams, problems and so forth.

TV is not enough I guess, I need something that catches all my attention, mind and body, like the gym.

Any takes/suggestions on this?

The "don't monitor it" part means for one to keep listening to it constantly to keep track of what it sounds like and using every descriptive word one can come up with to describe it that many people do. They also hop online and have posts about it and comment on others who are doing the same. It becomes an obsession. I figure most people have 24/7 tinnitus, thus that is not an obstacle to getting to habituation, as many have with this method. One is not driving their attention away from the tinnitus with the Back to Silence method. One is not trying to not think about it. One merely notes when the attention moves to it and how one feels when it does. If you want to start with only noting it with your feeling every five minutes or so, then do that. Keep track of that number and notice the statistics daily or weekly. Indeed this method is unlikely to get someone to habituation quickly. It is a long-term project.

Considering I have an anxiety disorder, I doubt something like that exists for me right now.

OK, so you do have a larger challenge than most with an anxiety disorder, I will grant you that. Consider this aspect as it still applies to some degree, even in your situation.

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." —Henry Ford

This quote expresses the idea that our mindset and beliefs are powerful forces that shape our reality. Some key points about its meaning:

- It speaks to the concept of self-fulfilling prophecy - when we believe something strongly enough, we turn that belief into truth through our actions and behavior.

- Our mindset and self-talk affect our attitudes, which then influence our abilities and outcomes. Thinking positively enhances potential, while negative thinking diminishes it.

- Believing you can't do something establishes limitations and prevents you from putting in maximum effort required to succeed. But believing you can liberates your potential.

- This quote emphasizes the need to cultivate a growth mindset - the belief abilities can be developed through effort - rather than a fixed mindset where skills are set.

- "Whether you think you can or think you can't" highlights the power of perspective in what we achieve. Our thoughts shape our reality.

- Ultimately, we have a choice in how we view challenges. Adopting self-empowering beliefs allows us to thrive and turn "I can't" into "I can."

In summary, this quote speaks to the self-fulfilling power of beliefs, and underscores the importance of cultivating a mindset of positive potential rather than self-limitation. Our thoughts inform our destiny.

 

[IYIiKe]

I'm going to give this a shot.

I am concerned on how often I should mark it. I have generally loud tinnitus, and without masking it is ever-present. Do I only mark it when I hear it, or when I attempt to measure it? Because I hear it constantly over virtually everything.

 

[Henry Orlando FL]

I'm going to give this a shot.

I am concerned on how often I should mark it. I have generally loud tinnitus, and without masking it is ever-present. Do I only mark it when I hear it, or when I attempt to measure it? Because I hear it constantly over virtually everything.

I figure a lot of people started just like you write... hearing it all the time. There is no rigid "rule" if you will. It would be fine to mark it only when the brain causes you to attempt to measure it and see how that works for you. Does it reduce the number of times the brain attempts to measure it? Well, that would tell you if that is a good approach, I figure. You might just record, say, every 15 minutes if you really never not hear your tinnitus. See what that does, I would say. Hope this hits the spot for you.

 

[HighleyTall]

How does this work when your tinnitus is no longer just a sound but has turned into pain? Continuously burning ears, tingling all over skull and face, headaches...

 

[Henry Orlando FL]

How does this work when your tinnitus is no longer just a sound but has turned into pain? Continuously burning ears, tingling all over skull and face, headaches...

Sorry to read of your troubles. I trust you have seen an ENT or Neurologist maybe for this level of troubles. I don't think the Back to Silence method would impact what you are experiencing.

 

[I who love music]

Hi everyone,

I hope you're hanging in there and finding relief somewhere somehow.

Terry

 

[Furetto]

So I have two questions for now:

1. Has anyone else applied this method successfully?
2. The website backtosilence.com does not exist, it brings back to this page.

 

[Tim Moore]

So I have two questions for now:

1. Has anyone else applied this method successfully?
2. The website backtosilence.com does not exist, it brings back to this page.

Hi @Furetto, I hope you're doing well!

I've been trying this technique, and in the beginning, it felt like I was repeating the phrase to myself every 10 seconds. I kept doing that for about 3–4 days, even writing it down in my phone's notes app. After that, I started forgetting to do it, but the tinnitus remained.

I've been trying again, and every time I consciously "hear" the tinnitus, I say to myself: "I hear it, I hate it!" or sometimes, "I hear it, it's annoying!" But I haven't noticed any significant improvements yet.

I do think I'm getting a little better—at least I'm functional now, two months after my acoustic trauma—but I still feel like a shell of my former self. I'm not as exciting or personable as I used to be. I'm also unsure if what I'm saying to myself is helping or if it's even the right approach. I'm trying not to measure or describe it too much in my head, though.

What phrase do you use?

 

[Furetto]

Hi @Furetto, I hope you're doing well!

I've been trying this technique, and in the beginning, it felt like I was repeating the phrase to myself every 10 seconds. I kept doing that for about 3–4 days, even writing it down in my phone's notes app. After that, I started forgetting to do it, but the tinnitus remained.

I've been trying again, and every time I consciously "hear" the tinnitus, I say to myself: "I hear it, I hate it!" or sometimes, "I hear it, it's annoying!" But I haven't noticed any significant improvements yet.

I do think I'm getting a little better—at least I'm functional now, two months after my acoustic trauma—but I still feel like a shell of my former self. I'm not as exciting or personable as I used to be. I'm also unsure if what I'm saying to myself is helping or if it's even the right approach. I'm trying not to measure or describe it too much in my head, though.

What phrase do you use?

I haven't tried this technique because I haven't seen any positive feedback from people who have successfully applied it, apart from the person who sponsored it. As a result, I'm skeptical.

That said, two months is nothing—don't worry. It's perfectly normal to feel the way you do, and it's actually great that you're already seeing some improvements! Set your first goal at six to nine months, and try not to focus on daily improvements or setbacks. This is a long journey. I've read many times on this forum, from expert members, that:

- Healing isn't linear. It resembles a stock market graph, with ups and downs, but the overall trend moves downward over time.
- You'll often feel like you've taken one step forward and two steps back.
- Sometimes, you'll feel like you've turned a corner, only to find yourself back at square one.

When this happens, it's always frustrating, but don't panic. This is just how the process goes for everyone, as described by the experienced members of this group. Please correct me if I'm wrong, other members.

Time, protection, and patience are key.

P.S. A fun little fact: For years, I had a small, red, under-skin blood scar in the center of my right hand—probably from my Jujitsu training. Yesterday, I casually looked at my hand and thought, "Where did it go?!" It totally disappeared on its own, and I have no idea when. I'm taking it as a good sign

 

[JuliaFB]

Hi everyone,

I hope you're hanging in there and finding relief somewhere somehow.

Terry

Hi Terry,

I've started to try the Back to Silence method but am really struggling with Step One. How on earth did you do it? It seems that the more I try not to think of tinnitus, the more I think about it. Is it enough to just allow tinnitus to be there but to never describe the sound again, and instead just note down my emotion? That I think I could do, but I can't stop thinking about it entirely without feeling this enormous pressure building up inside.

It's like if you try not to think of pink elephants, all you think about are pink elephants.

Thanks so much,
Julia

 

[Stayinghopeful]

It's like if you try not to think of pink elephants, all you think about are pink elephants.

Spot on. You allow it to be there; the goal is to create a way not to respond emotionally to it.

For me, it was, and can still be, "I hear my tinnitus, but I'm doing [insert what you want to do]." I acknowledge it and move on without judgment, and over time, the periods of doing this grow longer.

 

[JuliaFB]

Spot on. You allow it to be there; the goal is to create a way not to respond emotionally to it.

For me, it was, and can still be, "I hear my tinnitus, but I'm doing [insert what you want to do]." I acknowledge it and move on without judgment, and over time, the periods of doing this grow longer.

Yes, that makes sense to me—allow it to be there, but without any emotional response.

I actually had complete resolution of tinnitus many years ago using this method (thank you so much, Terry ). I experienced silence for years, to the point where I had totally forgotten about it. Recently, I went to a loud concert, experienced ringing in my ears afterward, and freaked out. That's when I got caught back in the struggle. I now believe it was the freakout, not the noise exposure, that recreated the struggle. In my view, tinnitus is maintained by our fear and attention to it. Clearly, I still had some lingering fear toward tinnitus.

For anyone who might benefit from this, I am a psychologist, and my understanding of this method is that it's essentially simple exposure and response prevention (the same technique we use to treat many fears and phobias).

You expose yourself to the feared stimulus (in this case, the sound), and over time, your response changes until you become completely unbothered by it. Eventually, you won't even bother to check whether it's there, and if it is, you won't care. When I reached the point of being "totally and utterly unbothered," I stopped hearing it entirely—yes, I mean absolute silence, pretty much all the time. I'm not talking about habituation here; I mean no noise at all. I started off with very loud and distressing tinnitus—the usual story, unable to function, etc.—and then experienced silence for years.

Essentially, if the brain perceives the sound as irrelevant, it switches it off. The brain won't sound an alarm if it sees no reason to be alarmed.

I rarely check this forum because searching for answers about tinnitus gives it a sense of importance (i.e., it implies that I'm still bothered by it). So, if anyone replies to this post, I most likely won't see it. I've also shared my success in forums before, and people have gotten angry or argued with me, so I'm a bit nervous even writing this.

But for anyone doubting Terry's method, I can say that it absolutely works (over time). Once the brain is convinced that you're completely unbothered by tinnitus, it will switch it off. I'm currently using Terry's method again and am already seeing progress.

 

[Henry Orlando FL]

Yes, that makes sense to me—allow it to be there, but without any emotional response.

I actually had complete resolution of tinnitus many years ago using this method (thank you so much, Terry ). I experienced silence for years, to the point where I had totally forgotten about it. Recently, I went to a loud concert, experienced ringing in my ears afterward, and freaked out. That's when I got caught back in the struggle. I now believe it was the freakout, not the noise exposure, that recreated the struggle. In my view, tinnitus is maintained by our fear and attention to it. Clearly, I still had some lingering fear toward tinnitus.

For anyone who might benefit from this, I am a psychologist, and my understanding of this method is that it's essentially simple exposure and response prevention (the same technique we use to treat many fears and phobias).

You expose yourself to the feared stimulus (in this case, the sound), and over time, your response changes until you become completely unbothered by it. Eventually, you won't even bother to check whether it's there, and if it is, you won't care. When I reached the point of being "totally and utterly unbothered," I stopped hearing it entirely—yes, I mean absolute silence, pretty much all the time. I'm not talking about habituation here; I mean no noise at all. I started off with very loud and distressing tinnitus—the usual story, unable to function, etc.—and then experienced silence for years.

Essentially, if the brain perceives the sound as irrelevant, it switches it off. The brain won't sound an alarm if it sees no reason to be alarmed.

I rarely check this forum because searching for answers about tinnitus gives it a sense of importance (i.e., it implies that I'm still bothered by it). So, if anyone replies to this post, I most likely won't see it. I've also shared my success in forums before, and people have gotten angry or argued with me, so I'm a bit nervous even writing this.

But for anyone doubting Terry's method, I can say that it absolutely works (over time). Once the brain is convinced that you're completely unbothered by tinnitus, it will switch it off. I'm currently using Terry's method again and am already seeing progress.

This is Terry's method, which in my experience and years of posting on this thread, works for many to facilitate habituation:

The "Back to Silence" method involves not measuring the sound(s), not monitoring the tinnitus sound(s) or focusing on it, and not describing or comparing the sound(s).

Another way to frame it is by following the four "don'ts" of the Back to Silence method:

1. Don't measure it.
2. Don't monitor it.
3. Don't describe it.
4. Don't compare it.

Here's what to do:

1. Stop talking about tinnitus, measuring it, comparing it, describing it, or thinking about it.
2. When you hear the sound(s), say to yourself: "I hear it, and I feel [insert your true emotion]."
3. Make a note of each occurrence (for example, by adding a hash mark) and tally them up daily—the total will decrease over time. It's best to write down your emotional responses in a word or two and review them weekly to see the changes.

Once you get to fewer than 5 to 10 incidences per day, you can stop writing them down and just do it mentally, since speaking aloud is not necessary to achieve results.

If you prefer not to write it down, try doing it verbally. If you don't notice a decrease in incidences over time, start writing them down to keep a count, even if it's just a hash mark.

The method you're describing is similar to one advocated in the tinnitus world by Glenn Schweitzer in his book, Rewiring Tinnitus: How I Finally Found Relief from the Ringing in My Ears.

Schweitzer's approach is based on the idea that until you are no longer afraid of the sound(s) of tinnitus, you won't be free of it. Fear will remain, lurking in the background, ready to resurface. This is closely related to the Systematic Desensitization approach developed by psychiatrist Joseph Wolpe, MD, in the 1950s, and also to the Mindfulness Meditation approach of Jon Kabat-Zinn.

When combined with the work of Bruce Hubbard, PhD, a psychologist specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), this forms a powerful approach that has helped many people, if not most, to reduce their suffering or even fully habituate to tinnitus.

 

[JuliaFB]

This is Terry's method, which in my experience and years of posting on this thread, works for many to facilitate habituation:

The "Back to Silence" method involves not measuring the sound(s), not monitoring the tinnitus sound(s) or focusing on it, and not describing or comparing the sound(s).

Another way to frame it is by following the four "don'ts" of the Back to Silence method:

1. Don't measure it.
2. Don't monitor it.
3. Don't describe it.
4. Don't compare it.

Here's what to do:

1. Stop talking about tinnitus, measuring it, comparing it, describing it, or thinking about it.
2. When you hear the sound(s), say to yourself: "I hear it, and I feel [insert your true emotion]."
3. Make a note of each occurrence (for example, by adding a hash mark) and tally them up daily—the total will decrease over time. It's best to write down your emotional responses in a word or two and review them weekly to see the changes.

Once you get to fewer than 5 to 10 incidences per day, you can stop writing them down and just do it mentally, since speaking aloud is not necessary to achieve results.

If you prefer not to write it down, try doing it verbally. If you don't notice a decrease in incidences over time, start writing them down to keep a count, even if it's just a hash mark.

The method you're describing is similar to one advocated in the tinnitus world by Glenn Schweitzer in his book, Rewiring Tinnitus: How I Finally Found Relief from the Ringing in My Ears.

Schweitzer's approach is based on the idea that until you are no longer afraid of the sound(s) of tinnitus, you won't be free of it. Fear will remain, lurking in the background, ready to resurface. This is closely related to the Systematic Desensitization approach developed by psychiatrist Joseph Wolpe, MD, in the 1950s, and also to the Mindfulness Meditation approach of Jon Kabat-Zinn.

When combined with the work of Bruce Hubbard, PhD, a psychologist specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), this forms a powerful approach that has helped many people, if not most, to reduce their suffering or even fully habituate to tinnitus.

Thank you for this post. The only thing I'd add is that Terry's method didn't just help me reach habituation—it brought me to complete silence 99.9% of the time for many years. I went from 10/10 noise levels to hearing nothing at all. Even when I sat in a quiet room, straining to hear something, I only heard silence.

I tried Terry's method along with other approaches, but it only worked when I practiced it alone and consistently. The silence came when I had zero interest or reaction to the sound. I also stopped looking up anything related to tinnitus online. I literally didn't give it a second thought.

The only thing that disrupted this was a loud concert, so needless to say, I won't be attending one again

J

 

[I who love music]

This is Terry's method, which in my experience and years of posting on this thread, works for many to facilitate habituation:

The "Back to Silence" method involves not measuring the sound(s), not monitoring the tinnitus sound(s) or focusing on it, and not describing or comparing the sound(s).

Another way to frame it is by following the four "don'ts" of the Back to Silence method:

1. Don't measure it.
2. Don't monitor it.
3. Don't describe it.
4. Don't compare it.

Here's what to do:

1. Stop talking about tinnitus, measuring it, comparing it, describing it, or thinking about it.
2. When you hear the sound(s), say to yourself: "I hear it, and I feel [insert your true emotion]."
3. Make a note of each occurrence (for example, by adding a hash mark) and tally them up daily—the total will decrease over time. It's best to write down your emotional responses in a word or two and review them weekly to see the changes.

Once you get to fewer than 5 to 10 incidences per day, you can stop writing them down and just do it mentally, since speaking aloud is not necessary to achieve results.

If you prefer not to write it down, try doing it verbally. If you don't notice a decrease in incidences over time, start writing them down to keep a count, even if it's just a hash mark.

The method you're describing is similar to one advocated in the tinnitus world by Glenn Schweitzer in his book, Rewiring Tinnitus: How I Finally Found Relief from the Ringing in My Ears.

Schweitzer's approach is based on the idea that until you are no longer afraid of the sound(s) of tinnitus, you won't be free of it. Fear will remain, lurking in the background, ready to resurface. This is closely related to the Systematic Desensitization approach developed by psychiatrist Joseph Wolpe, MD, in the 1950s, and also to the Mindfulness Meditation approach of Jon Kabat-Zinn.

When combined with the work of Bruce Hubbard, PhD, a psychologist specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), this forms a powerful approach that has helped many people, if not most, to reduce their suffering or even fully habituate to tinnitus.

Yup. That's how it's done.

 

[JuliaFB]

Yup. That's how it's done.

Are you still having success with this method, Terry? I've had success with it in the past, but I recently experienced a spike and am struggling with step one again. Do you have any tips on how to stop monitoring tinnitus? Thank you!

 

[Henry Orlando FL]

Are you still having success with this method, Terry? I've had success with it in the past, but I recently experienced a spike and am struggling with step one again. Do you have any tips on how to stop monitoring tinnitus? Thank you!

I've had tinnitus for 13 years. I first developed it after a loud sound exposure, which I would now classify as mild tinnitus. It took me about a year to habituate, and like most people, I was really anxious at the beginning.

The second time, a major loud sound event pushed my tinnitus to a moderate-plus level. After that, it took me about six months to habituate using the Back to Silence Method.

To be clear, I've had to manage countless spikes over the years. Some spikes took me a week or two to return to habituation, while others only took a few days. Now, after 13 years of practicing my habituation skills, I can talk myself down from a spike and get back to habituation within minutes.

Learning habituation techniques has been essential for me, with the Back to Silence Method as a major tool I still rely on today.

 

[withintention]

I have a similar question as @Francesco. My tinnitus is constant, and the only thing that masks it is the sound of the shower. So, I'm pretty much always hearing it. My attention shifts from what I'm doing (watching TV, talking to someone, typing this response) back to my tinnitus about every 10 seconds or so. Occasionally, if something is especially engaging, I might be distracted from it for a minute or two. For instance, a semi-truck nearly ran me off the road the other day, and yet I found myself hearing my tinnitus again a minute or two afterward.

That said, I don't react every time I hear it. Sometimes, it's just a neutral acknowledgment: "Yep, I have tinnitus." Maybe once or twice an hour, I'll have a strong negative emotional reaction, thinking things like, "I'll never get used to this," or "I regret going to that concert," etc.

Should I be making a note every time I hear it, even if I feel neutral? Or should I only note it when I hear it and experience a distinct emotional reaction?

If it's the former, I'm concerned I'll end up just sitting there, putting check marks on paper every waking moment. The latter makes more sense to me, but it doesn't seem to align with what others here are suggesting.

Any advice is appreciated. I believe deeply in the power of mindfulness to make a difference for us. Meditation has changed my life, but I also know that technique is crucial.

 

[Henry Orlando FL]

I have a similar question as @Francesco. My tinnitus is constant, and the only thing that masks it is the sound of the shower. So, I'm pretty much always hearing it. My attention shifts from what I'm doing (watching TV, talking to someone, typing this response) back to my tinnitus about every 10 seconds or so. Occasionally, if something is especially engaging, I might be distracted from it for a minute or two. For instance, a semi-truck nearly ran me off the road the other day, and yet I found myself hearing my tinnitus again a minute or two afterward.

That said, I don't react every time I hear it. Sometimes, it's just a neutral acknowledgment: "Yep, I have tinnitus." Maybe once or twice an hour, I'll have a strong negative emotional reaction, thinking things like, "I'll never get used to this," or "I regret going to that concert," etc.

Should I be making a note every time I hear it, even if I feel neutral? Or should I only note it when I hear it and experience a distinct emotional reaction?

If it's the former, I'm concerned I'll end up just sitting there, putting check marks on paper every waking moment. The latter makes more sense to me, but it doesn't seem to align with what others here are suggesting.

Any advice is appreciated. I believe deeply in the power of mindfulness to make a difference for us. Meditation has changed my life, but I also know that technique is crucial.

Here is my thinking.

If you practice meditation, you're likely familiar with the concept of "noting." In the Back to Silence method, the approach is to say:

When you hear the sound(s), say to yourself: "I hear it, and I feel [insert your true emotion]."

In mindfulness and emotional awareness, "neutral" typically describes a state of feeling neither positive nor negative. It implies a lack of strong emotional response—you might feel neither happy nor sad, neither excited nor anxious. So, "neutral" is definitely a valid feeling word.

Regarding the question, "Should I be noting every time I hear it, even if I feel neutral? Or only when I experience a distinct emotional reaction?":

I would say no, you don't need to mark every single instance when you hear it. It's perfectly fine to note only when you experience an emotional reaction other than neutrality. Track only the moments when you have a distinct emotional reaction and ignore the neutrals. See what that looks like over time.

Now that I'm fully habituated at Stage 4, all I experience with the sound is neutrality. I no longer care whether it's present or not; it's there when it's there and absent when it's not. Either way, I'm unaffected emotionally—I'm simply neutral about it. I still repeat the "Back to Silence mantra" to myself when I hear it, but now, "neutral" is almost always the only word that fits. If I do experience another emotion, I acknowledge that too.

I hope this is useful.

 

[withintention]

Here is my thinking.

If you practice meditation, you're likely familiar with the concept of "noting." In the Back to Silence method, the approach is to say:

When you hear the sound(s), say to yourself: "I hear it, and I feel [insert your true emotion]."

In mindfulness and emotional awareness, "neutral" typically describes a state of feeling neither positive nor negative. It implies a lack of strong emotional response—you might feel neither happy nor sad, neither excited nor anxious. So, "neutral" is definitely a valid feeling word.

Regarding the question, "Should I be noting every time I hear it, even if I feel neutral? Or only when I experience a distinct emotional reaction?":

I would say no, you don't need to mark every single instance when you hear it. It's perfectly fine to note only when you experience an emotional reaction other than neutrality. Track only the moments when you have a distinct emotional reaction and ignore the neutrals. See what that looks like over time.

Now that I'm fully habituated at Stage 4, all I experience with the sound is neutrality. I no longer care whether it's present or not; it's there when it's there and absent when it's not. Either way, I'm unaffected emotionally—I'm simply neutral about it. I still repeat the "Back to Silence mantra" to myself when I hear it, but now, "neutral" is almost always the only word that fits. If I do experience another emotion, I acknowledge that too.

I hope this is useful.

Henry, thanks for the response. This approach feels very familiar from my experience with meditation. In Anapanasati meditation, the focus is on the breath, and you note each time your attention drifts from it.

This practice is quite similar. I go about my day and note whenever my attention shifts to my tinnitus. I tried it today, and to avoid the constant need for noting, here's what I'm doing—let me know if this sounds right.

When I notice my attention has wandered to the tinnitus, I pause and try to observe how I'm feeling. However, I don't keep noting each time my attention stays on the tinnitus. Instead, I wait until my focus naturally shifts to something else and only note the next time my attention returns to the tinnitus. I think this also answers @Francesco's question, as I'm essentially noting only when my attention first moves to the tinnitus, not when it lingers there.

Does that sound correct?

After just one day, this approach has already given me a sense of control and empowerment. I'm very excited to have a technique like this to try!