Give It Time. Tinnitus Gets Better.

[Steve2212]

AL 3 - what is your experience like with the sound - does it soften for you or is it just the same and it's your perception that changes.... what was the most notable difference between the 6 and 12 month mark??

There are so many posts on this thread from people who have had absolutely no improvement - the last guy in particular has had it for 3 years!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Steve2212]

AL3 how do i PM you??

 

[Steve2212]

I feel really really low at the moment - could someone please get back to me with some encouraging vibes - I thought I was doing better BUT ive regressed - Im at the 6 month mark - AL3 are you there???

Im like focusing on it 100% of the time

 

[Berik]

Put some white noise on.. it is a journey, with ups and downs. But eventually, you'll come to peace with it, or, a cure will present itself..

 

[Steve2212]

Hi Berik - thanks for that - i just have to dig myself out of the hole - this can get me sooooo down

 

[Steve2212]

in your opinion how long does it take to get to peace with it or a rough idea???

I know we are all different but some kind of idea

 

[Berik]

in your opinion how long does it take to get to peace with it or a rough idea???

I know we are all different but some kind of idea

Differs. Took me almost two years, though I still struggle with it sometimes. But it goes better and better.

 

[grime]

I feel really really low at the moment - could someone please get back to me with some encouraging vibes - I thought I was doing better BUT ive regressed - Im at the 6 month mark - AL3 are you there???

Im like focusing on it 100% of the time

I feeeeel you, sometimes I do that. The key is to distract yourself, dwelling is going to make it both physically and emotionally worse.

When you focus on it it literally gets worse. Do something that will forcibly occupy your mind for a while, like a competative video game or something. When I find myself dwelling on my t and excacurbating it consequently, I play overwatch for 10-20 minutes because it's pretty fast paced and attention demanding. Once I'm done, after a while, I always notice that I've filtered the sound out, and that even when I immediately look for it it's quieter.

But try not to look for it again for as long as possible after successfully distracting yourself.

 

[John Meyers]

I went to a quiet dinner party last night and now my T is spiking again.

Rather than too much noise, it must have been the many appetizers I ate (some being on the salty side).

My T stress gets exhausting but I'm determined to overcome it.

 

[Steve2212]

John- when I read online that after a lenghty period of time the brain is able to block most spikes out - how is your different considering you have had this for so long?? Some peopleI speak to who have had this for a few years are able to block the T spikes out..as soon as they hear it.

 

[Steve2212]

also @ GRIME- ow long have you have T for??? and if it's for a few years ( refer to above post) this is the answer Im looking for.....isn't the brain able to kinda tune this out thru habituation??

 

[Steve2212]

Stresso = surely habituation will eventually block it out??

 

[grime]

also @ GRIME- ow long have you have T for??? and if it's for a few years ( refer to above post) this is the answer Im looking for.....isn't the brain able to kinda tune this out thru habituation??

I'm sorry, I've only had it for about a month now and I didn't see the original post.. i gotta double check what people are talking about before throwing random unsolicited advice at people.

But yea i mean regardless of how long you have it habituation is key.

 

[Autumnly]

isn't the brain able to kinda tune this out thru habituation??

Stresso = surely habituation will eventually block it out??

Not every person with tinnitus is able to tune it out, unfortunately. Many people can tune it out, however. There are also people who hear it and aren't bothered by it. Tinnitus is a huge spectrum, for the people at the severe end, it's usually not possible to tune it out as it's too loud and too intrusive. And yes, unfortunately, tinnitus can also get permanently worse, this is not just people's perception.

From what I've read, the first year seems to be the hardest for many. This doesn't mean that you will always hear it! Habituation can mean different things to different people. In terms of tinnitus, even six months in is still relatively new. It can still get better for you.

 

[Jazzer]

I feel really really low at the moment - could someone please get back to me with some encouraging vibes - I thought I was doing better BUT ive regressed - Im at the 6 month mark - AL3 are you there???

Im like focusing on it 100% of the time

Steve - I'm so sorry mate.
Mine has been loud and permenant for four years now.
It is always there, but for a lot of the time I cope okay.

One thing might be worth a try.

'Lay in a nice warm bath with eyes closed.
Lips closed - teeth apart - mouth and throat nice and soft - breathing nice and gentle.
Allow yourself to hear your Tinnitus - but without listening to it.
Do not listen for it - just hear it.
Do not concentrate on it - it just happens to be there.
Ask your tummy to take over your natural relaxed breathing for you.
As you exhale just 'think the word ease'
As you inhale just 'think the word ey.'
'Eas-ey.....eas-ey......eas-ey...eas-ey....

No listening to it,
No fighting it,
No hating it,
Just a benign acceptance of what is.....'

Basically you are training yourself to merely hear it without listening to it - to accept that it is 'just there.'


I do this daily - I never miss.
Best wishes
Dave x
Jazzer

 

[AL 3]

Hey Steve . Sorry was on holidays only back.
How you keeping mate.
Are you still googling??????

 

[Steve2212]

thx for the reply - AL3 is there any way I can chat with you???

are you the USA ?? Im in Australia??

If so how do we go about this??

Everytime I come on here and read any type of negative reply like the guy whose had it for 4 years I start FREAKING OUT!!! Orit may still get worse - read what autumn Lilly just posted - OMG!!!

I keep on reading and re reading your posts and they are so so so encouraging and we seem to speak the same kind of language - mate I kinda need helP!!

even if we can whats app each other...

 

[AL 3]

Not sure Steve
If you can find a way to send number privately. I can what's app you

 

[Steve2212]

mate you can reach me via gmail to start with:

clydesthecat123@gmail.com

 

[Bill S.]

I'm new, still getting the lay of the land. I do know from Psychology that behaviors that are positively reinforced become stronger, those that are not given positive reinforcement eventually extinguish. Positive enforcement is not "good thoughts". Positive reinforcement is any thought that draws attention to the behavior you want to extinguish. The best way to help extinguish it or make it not normally present in your mind, is to stop all the anxiety that we tend to put on about tinnitus. There is no good that comes from remaining anxious and spiralling downward. We all do it from time to time but the more you can just accept that the tinnitus is just a sound and just let it be the easier it will be to habituate with it.

 

[TLion]

I personally came to the conclusion the key "solution" regarding Tinnitus is getting out of the "fight or flight" state. This can be done with meditation, deep breathing etc. I didn't know one can stay in fight or flight mode very long, for months. I always thought it is only the state of extreme anxiety but this is not true. Being a little anxious and permanently aware of Tinnitus, in a permanent alert state is also FOF. The goal is to get back into parasympathetic brain mode, which is a relaxed "flow". If you manage to get back into this state there is less cortisol, more chance for your system to heal and no amplified hearing which means, also Tinnitus will not be amped up by your nervous system.

Sorry, I am not a medical professional but understanding the brain modes was crucial for me in managing Tinnitus.

 

[Lane]

I personally came to the conclusion the key "solution" regarding Tinnitus is getting out of the "fight or flight" state. This can be done with meditation, deep breathing etc.

Hi @TLion,

I agree with your perspectives on this. Since my original onset 9 months ago, I've often thought of a 60-Minutes segment that aired several years ago on a new and promising drug therapy to treat PTSD. I suspect that approaching tinnitus treatment from this angle would yield many good results. -- I'm going to try to find that old 60-Min. segment, and see whatever became of that drug for potentially treating PTSD. Who knows, it may be widely prescribed, and could very well be a viable treatment for the trauma of tinnitus.

 

[Mike in Brooklyn]

I am new to T. Only 2 weeks. It is just so LOUD last night and today. I felt like before that it was more bearable.

 

[3ri0w]

Ye gets better until you start to think like "Ok I'm healed now, it's safe to go to back to the kind of places I had avoided and jus be normal again". And you go to not like crazy loud places like a rock concert or shooting guns, but for example just communicating with people in a loud restaurant. And then the fukkken HELL starts all over again and I can only blame myself for being a stupid idiot stupido, just for an hour or two honest.

And the worst thing is I had read just the exact same kind of stories like thisg before here on TinnitusTalk, but I had like just FORGOT them. And now I don't know if this is just a fukked up SPIKE or if this is forever????? Really I had not even habituated, my T tones had really quietened down until last weekend's mistake. It was not like I wasn't just concentrating on the sounds or not being bothered by them, no no no no, they were GONE. Now I'm back to where I had been for 5 years and it sucks big time. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Really I have done this same mistake for a few times in the past. 4 years ago and 3-2 years ago. I'm so unbelievably stupid. Omg I'm so ashamed for posting SUCCESS STORIES as if I was a winner or something... nopes I'm not a winner I'm just a fool.

The tinnitus and hyperacusis can stop ye but the ears will never be normal. Just 1 stupid mistake and all the healing time is flushed down the toilet. I think I'll just start eating Xanax XR, I just don't want to go through THE TINNITUS ORDEAL again. Took so many years and now it's all ergtpgf pojthfdsalknbgffdskln

all the thoughts I used to have are back, like the second I realized omg I can hear it again I instantly thought if I should kill myself quick

 

[TLion]

But you have experienced many times that it always goes back down after a while. So try not to stress and try not to sink in dark thoughts. Push through it, say "fuck it" to dark thoughts and wait it out.

 

[3ri0w]

But you have experienced many times that it always goes back down after a while. So try not to stress and try not to sink in dark thoughts. Push through it, say "fuck it" to dark thoughts and wait it out.

Ye but it didn't get better every time :| some times it just worsened
It's like when you break your leg and you realize "omg I am not able to walk for a long time now and got to rehab the leg and think about all the work ahead"

 

[Steve2212]

AL3 do you have Skype??

 

[TLion]

Ye but it didn't get better every time :| some times it just worsened
It's like when you break your leg and you realize "omg I am not able to walk for a long time now and got to rehab the leg and think about all the work ahead"

I know this. Exactly what I experienced. I had a worsening in April and I thought "oh man, again months in front of me". But let me tell you, it's gonna be months if you let it be months. It's gonna be faster if you calm down and work on coming out of flight and flight, getting back to the parasympathetic state your brain needs to heal. Work on meditation etc. The rest will follow. Search getting into parasympathetic state on YouTube.

 

[Lane]

in your opinion how long does it take to get to peace with it or a rough idea???

Hey @Steve2212,

I think the answer to your question depends on a lot of things that are unique to each individual, including various things each one of us tries to see if it leads to any improvement. I myself think diet is extremely important. I just did a post on another thread I thought I paste here as well, which gives some of my own philosophy...
.............................................................................

Hey Telis, I've experimented a LOT with eating various foods over the years, and have discovered one particular food that seems to "ground" my brain and neurological system better than anything else--bone broth. There's lots of directions online on how to make it, but I've come up with a very simple way of making it so it's not so burdensome.

Essentially, I buy organic chicken necks (about a dozen in a single pack) and boil them for about an hour or so. I let them cool a bit, and then throw them in a blender, and season with Himalayan salt and butter. I can generally get about a gallon's worth of broth out of that simple recipe. Whatever I don't think I'll drink in the next 3-5 days, I'll go ahead and freeze.

When I do heat up a cup to drink, I add 1-2 egg yolks to it. I discovered this combo early on after I got tinnitus in February, and came to regard it as my "comfort food". It really did seem to ground me in some inexplicable way, and also seemed to take the edge off the tinnitus. At one point, I almost sort of fasted on bone broth for about 1-2 weeks.

Of course, there's other recipes as well, and you can experiment with all kinds of things, like adding various vegetables like onion, celery, etc. Just don't let the somewaht complicated recipe directions online detract from how relatively easy it is to incorporate this into your diet.

@Bill Bauer
@Greg Sacramento
@TracyJS

 

[AL 3]

Hi Steve I'll e Mail you tomorrow.
I taught this was a success forum.
And a place for positive thinking..
So why all the moaning? We all have our bad days. But moaning is not helping new people to this.
I've posted a positive thread and it's turned into moanfest.. it's not very helpful at all