Changing Your Perception of or Reaction to (External) Sounds

[Anna V.]

Hi all

People are telling me that if I retrain my perception, not of tinnitus, but of outside sounds and how they affect me, they will affect me differently. This is part of the basic retraining/TRT model I suppose.

I.e. I have found that certain sounds affect tinnitus levels. I am told that if I change my approach to, and perception of, the sounds in question they won't affect tinnitus levels.

Can anyone verify that this really is the case? I know it's possibly a contentious area. I hope I'm giving enough information/context.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Hi all

People are telling me that if I retrain my perception, not of tinnitus, but of outside sounds and how they affect me, they will affect me differently. This is part of the basic retraining/TRT model I suppose.

I.e. I have found that certain sounds affect tinnitus levels. I am told that if I change my approach to, and perception of, the sounds in question they won't affect tinnitus levels.

Can anyone verify that this really is the case? I know it's possibly a contentious area. I hope I'm giving enough information/context.

Hi @Anna V.

The advice that I am going to give you is not an attempt to prove what you've been told is incorrect. In my opinion and personal experience of tinnitus, hyperacusis and having had TRT twice and now fully habituated. The only way one's perception of tinnitus will be reduced, is through positivity and adopting a positive outlook to life. This takes time and if you read some of the posts on my started threads which I sent you, they will help in this process. This is what TRT is about. Helping to retrain a person's thinking about tinnitus, life and to adopt a positive attitude. Once this process begings, the perception and focus on tinnitus is reduced and the noise becomes less problematic.

Michael

 

[fishbone]

Hi all

People are telling me that if I retrain my perception, not of tinnitus, but of outside sounds and how they affect me, they will affect me differently. This is part of the basic retraining/TRT model I suppose.

I.e. I have found that certain sounds affect tinnitus levels. I am told that if I change my approach to, and perception of, the sounds in question they won't affect tinnitus levels.

Can anyone verify that this really is the case? I know it's possibly a contentious area. I hope I'm giving enough information/context.

Perception is everything in life, not just with tinnitus. How you train your mind to act/ re-act makes a huge difference. Tinnitus can at times, change our old ways of thinking and living...into a new style of living and possibly inducing more anxiety and stress into our lives. If you suffer from hyperacusis, then this could possibly add to it.

We need to re-train our minds, to kinda be like the old frame of thinking but this time, taking precautions and protecting our ears and hearing. It can be done, trust me....I was in the very same shoes that many are in today. I had fears and was worrying a lot. The thing that got me through was support and fixing my hyperacusis issue and it took a good 4-5 years for me to be free, from one portion of the tinnitus hell.

It took me 4-5 years, because:

1. I did not know I had hyperacusis or what it was
2. once I learned, I got on it and got it treated and it was a blessing.

My tinnitus is louder, than it was almost 25 years ago and its crazy loud, but the pain in the ear...from the hyperacusis is MUCH better....

Don't ever give up

 

[Anna V.]

Thanks to both. Fishbone, what treatment did you pursue when you say you got on it and got treated?

Michael, hi, thanks. I'm talking about perception of outside sounds rather than perception of tinnitus:
Can changing how we perceive or approach (psychologically/emotionally) outside sounds, particularly ones that have had adverse affect on t levels, actually change how the sound itself affects us?

That is a wordy question, I hope it scans, but that's the question and a lot depends on it to be honest.
Thank you all

 

[Michael Leigh]

HI @Anna V
It is all the same thing. By being more positive with life your perception of outside sounds will change, reduce. Become less noticeable. Whatever one want's to call it, it's all to do with being more positive. That is what @fishbone and I are alluding to. Once a person starts to adopt the right mental attitude their life will start to become easier.

 

[fishbone]

HI @Anna V
It is all the same thing. By being more positive with life your perception of outside sounds will change, reduce. Become less noticeable. Whatever one want's to call it, it's all to do with being more positive. That is what @fishbone and I are alluding to. Once a person starts to adopt the right mental attitude their life will start to become easier.

It's all about having the right attitude. The right attitude, can take someone really far in their lives. It took me a long time and lots of maturing to get to that point.... Accepting reality and doing my best to make it work, has been vital in my life. I use to not be this way and the pain it brought me was too much...

 

[Michael Leigh]

It's all about having the right attitude. The right attitude, can take someone really far in their lives. It took me a long time and lots of maturing to get to that point.... Accepting reality and doing my best to make it work, has been vital in my life. I use to not be this way and the pain it brought me was too much...

You are right @fishbone . People that are seasoned to tinnitus know, the only way forward is adopting the right atitude and positive approach to life. It takes time. One of the worst things that can stop this process is reinforcing negativity and this comes in various forms: Reading unhelpful websites that spread doom and gloom about this condition and associating with negative thinking people at forums. Convincing yourself before you've even started a particular treatment that it wont work is a sure way that it won't.

Michael

 

[Anna V.]

I'm totally open to what you are saying both of you and appreciate your hardwon experience and wisdom.
M, I hope you don't mean I'm convincing myself before I start that it won't work, as I think it's fair enough to ask about people's experience before you do important things. I am glad I asked as I'm getting a lot out of the responses.

 

[glynis]

My tinnitus in both ears due to Menieres took hold of my life and it has been mentally challanging to say the least.
Its been 12-14 years of a emotional roller coaster but now something has changed.
I have lost even more hearing due to menieres and had my hearing aids re programmed and now when they are in I don't give tinnitus a second thought.
Im laughing so much and enjoying my life again and every day is a blessing to waks up to and not waking up to mental torture 24/7.
My hearing aids since I lost more hearing are the best treatment in coping with tinnitus.
Just over a year ago I didn't want to carry on the way I was feeling.
Im so full of happiness and laughter and really loving life again and got my bubbly self back .
Never give up on life...you will get to a happier life how ever long it takes...
Love glynis

 

[Michael Leigh]

I'm totally open to what you are saying both of you and appreciate your hardwon experience and wisdom.
M, I hope you don't mean I'm convincing myself before I start that it won't work, as I think it's fair enough to ask about people's experience before you do important things. I am glad I asked as I'm getting a lot out of the responses.

My post wasn't directed at you specifically @Anna V. It was meant for anyone seeking advice on tinnitus and coping methods especially those new to the condition. Veterans such as @fishbone myself and others in this forum and those seasoned to tinnitus, know positivity takes time but it is the only way forward and coping with all aspects of tinnitus. Whether it is: mild, moderate or severe. This also includes learning to accept and reducing one's perception of external sounds that you refer to.

Michael

 

[Tinker Bell]

My tinnitus in both ears due to Menieres took hold of my life and it has been mentally challanging to say the least.
Its been 12-14 years of a emotional roller coaster but now something has changed.
I have lost even more hearing due to menieres and had my hearing aids re programmed and now when they are in I don't give tinnitus a second thought.
Im laughing so much and enjoying my life again and every day is a blessing to waks up to and not waking up to mental torture 24/7.
My hearing aids since I lost more hearing are the best treatment in coping with tinnitus.
Just over a year ago I didn't want to carry on the way I was feeling.
Im so full of happiness and laughter and really loving life again and got my bubbly self back .
Never give up on life...you will get to a happier life how ever long it takes...
Love glynis

Have your hearing aids reduced the volume of your tinnitus? Or perhaps not reduced it so much as allowed you to better hear around it?

 

[Anna V.]

I wondered around how that was working too regarding the hearing aids. Thanks everybody this is really helpful

 

[glynis]

The amplified sound masks my tinnitus but I think it's calmed down missfireing signals as my brain is hearing what it should now with my hearing loss.
Love glynis

 

[Tinker Bell]

The amplified sound masks my tinnitus but I think it's calmed down missfireing signals as my brain is hearing what it should now with my hearing loss.
Love glynis

That is wonderful, Glynis! I truly think treatment for actually reducing tinnitus will come in the form of improved hearing aid technology. And I think that will happen far sooner than any stem cell or medical cures.

This also makes me eager to re-try a hearing aid.