Cognitive Approach

[I who love music]

In addition to protecting my ears with plugs after a spike, and masking, and habituation, I've recently included a behavioral approach. And it feels good!! It seems that after a couple weeks of daily "Listening for the silence beyond the noise" exercise, some part of my brain is actually listening for the silence beyond the noise. It's not to be found. I'm noticing that when the environment is noisy (dishes banging, microwave humming, silverware clanging) I consciously DO notice the 'quiet' amidst the noise. Here's the cognitive behavioral part - I say out loud, "I don't hear you." And it feels good!!!! Sounds goofy, but that's how it works. It feels as if I'm dealing with it, not fearing it, and having some control over it. I'm acknowledging its absence. This is a big turnaround approach. Amidst environmental noises, tinnitus can be silenced, and must be celebrated.

 

[Roger Cloutier]

In addition to protecting my ears with plugs after a spike, and masking, and habituation, I've recently included a behavioral approach. And it feels good!! It seems that after a couple weeks of daily "Listening for the silence beyond the noise" exercise, some part of my brain is actually listening for the silence beyond the noise. It's not to be found. I'm noticing that when the environment is noisy (dishes banging, microwave humming, silverware clanging) I consciously DO notice the 'quiet' amidst the noise. Here's the cognitive behavioral part - I say out loud, "I don't hear you." And it feels good!!!! Sounds goofy, but that's how it works. It feels as if I'm dealing with it, not fearing it, and having some control over it. I'm acknowledging its absence. This is a big turnaround approach. Amidst environmental noises, tinnitus can be silenced, and must be celebrated.

Thanks for that insight. I have been looing into pursuing the CBT approach as well. It seems that ''letting the body heal itself'' is the way to go in so many of our medical problems. Your statement, ''listening for the silence beyond the noise'', is something that I have kind of been doing ''intuitively'', but you have given me the words to describe it.

Roger