Ear Protection All the Time?

[SugarMagnolia]

Thanks @Gman. I will look into getting a sound meter. The low-tone is not part of my tinnitus. It's an external sound. I just can't tell if it comes from inside or outside of the building. (DH can't tell either and his hearing is normal.) The reason I get panicky is that all this noise is in my home, so there's no escape. Home should be the one place I can be safe and leave my ears unprotected.

 

[Gman]

Thanks @Gman. I will look into getting a sound meter. The low-tone is not part of my tinnitus. It's an external sound. I just can't tell if it comes from inside or outside of the building. (DH can't tell either and his hearing is normal.) The reason I get panicky is that all this noise is in my home, so there's no escape. Home should be the one place I can be safe and leave my ears unprotected.

Oh sorry. Misread that part.
I know how you feel. We have huge loud thunderstorms and neighbours hair trigger car alarms here

 

[SugarMagnolia]

I am concerned about phonophobia because of the nature of my OCD fears. So I'm trying not to avoid ordinary daily sounds.

Today the phone on my desk rang and I felt panic but told myself not to plug my ear. I don't want to be afraid of every single sound. When I first got OCD (a long time before T), I was dysfunctional because I saw dangers to my health literally everywhere. This could easily happen with T and H. So I let the phone ring (since I wasn't going to answer a telemarketer call), but by the third ring I got up and moved a couple of yards away from it. It was definitely scaring me.

I've had this same phone in the same place forever and the ring never hurt me before, even with my two years of T (before the H started with a noise two weeks ago). Now I'm locked in a downward OCD spiral of doubt. Maybe the ringing phone was dangerous since my hearing has become more acute. Maybe it was stupid of me to expose myself to four additional rings after the first one. Maybe I hurt myself physically in my effort to not become phonophobic. Now I'm kicking myself for my decision.

 

[glynis]

I think you will be fine and tomorrow you won't feel as bad,then you will know a ringing phone is ok for you and the fear will go away.
Love glynis

 

[SugarMagnolia]

Thanks @glynis. I'm trying not to let fear control my life.

 

[Ed209]

Thanks @glynis. I'm trying not to let fear control my life.

The fear associated with having T is one of the biggest issues.

 

[SugarMagnolia]

The fear associated with having T is one of the biggest issues.

My fear of damaging my physical health is usually stronger than my fear of damaging my mental health. This is how my OCD got out of control many years ago. I don't want that to happen with sound. So this time, I forced myself to endure the ringing phone, but I was unprepared for the intensity of the anxiety it would provoke.