Hello Everyone, I'm new and my name is Natalie. After searching on this board without membership I decided to go ahead and become one and offer my story and how I am dealing.
Okay, so I've been suffering from anxiety and depression for the last 4 years now so when the tinnitus hit, I knew what the problem was....my reactions towards it, not the noise it's self. That's what being in therapy does for you, and being a very self aware person. So understanding that this was the case I knew I needed to get out my handy techniques to help cope. And I want to share them with you all in hope that it helps you.
I'll break it down to two categories, thoughts and feelings.
The thoughts that most of you have had, /and are getting.
I'll never be the same, How will I live my life?, It will never go away, it's only getting worse, how will I ever be able to enjoy myself again?, I won't ever be able to listen to music, It will get worse in the future, I don't want to live with this forever, what if I end it all, I don't want to die but I can't stop the feelings/thoughts so will have to, I'll never be normal, how will I go on dates etc.
Again, the problem is not even these thoughts because its normal to feel that way, it's your reaction to the thoughts. You see, the mind is very powerful, but it's also not very known for staying stuck on the same thing for too long. What I mean is the brain won't stay stuck on these thoughts and feelings, and will probably start to give you new worries before it decides to stay stuck on the 'will I ever get better thought'?
So what do I do? and what should you do when the thought arises?
Well, you want to not try to push the thought out of you're mind. Because that's the worst thing to do, but if it helps you, so be it. But trying to not think of it is only going to make you think of it. Like the whole example with, "don't think of the elephant" but then you do because you're trying so hard not to think of it. You see, you have to allow the thought to be there first and feel it for a while, like when you taste a ice cream and let it swish around in your mouth before swallowing, but then over time you must replace the thought immediately with something else when it pops up (ex. it will only get worse) - switch to: what am I going to eat for dinner? Then focus on what are you going to eat? go through the lists of food in you're head. Apples, oranges, chicken, salad, tuna, rice, etc. Then go cook. The point of holding the thought there at first is to get use to it as if it were a roommate. You get used to it and let it not have so much power over your mood.
What do you know you forgot about the thought for a minute. But oh no, the thought is back. That's okay, because you are only beginning to change the way you think so the thought will come back. But I promise you, later down the road, you will get good at it and before you know it, a minute, an hour, a day, a month has passed and you forgot the thought that was troubling you, or you stopped caring about it.
Another example, It will never go away. switch to: I got to clean my room. Let's see, I have to pick up the socks, I have to fix the bed, take the bottles to the sink, clear out the desk, take the towel back to the bathroom etc. And then begin to actually clean.
And believe me if this anxiety is troubling you, your room is probably a mess. LOL
The point of this exercise is to help focus your mind completely on something else so that it forgets what was troubling you. But, you have to make sure you're attention is at least %95 on the task. And if cleaning is not helping, get involved in a task that needs you're attention completely like playing a video game, sorting your papers, playing an instrument etc.
Okay, so that's how to deal with the thoughts related to the anxiety. Now what about the anxiety it's self?
Well, anxiety believe it or not can be present without the thoughts. You can literally have no reason for the anxiety attack you just had. So what should you do about it?
The answer is nothing. You have to feel the anxiety, don't push it away. But.......you have to do whatever it is that you were going to do for that day. Be it, the walk on the beach, the cleaning your room, making dinner, doing your homework, playing with the kids, going to work. Don't and I repeat don't , no matter how bad you feel, stop what you had planned for the day. Don't let it take away what you had planned unless its a full blown panic attack.
Like I said the mind never stays stuck on one thing for too long, and the anxiety will go. Be it, a minute from now, a hour, a day, etc
The purpose of this is to work through the feelings, and eventually they will pass. But make sure to: WORK THROUGH THE FEELINGS. You may even notice that you've been so focused on buying the groceries that you forgot about the feelings so you try to remember the feelings and then it comes back, but as I said that's completely okay, because you still have to drive home, or take transportation, or do something that will take your mind off it again. It takes practice but you will achieve It.
What are the end results for this? You stop focusing on what's troubling you. You begin to take back your power on how you feel from anxiety, from tinnitus, both. A weight on your shoulders will be lifted. You will begin to feel free, even if it lasts only a hour. But you can think back on that hour and realize it can be done.
THANKS SO MUCH for reading. And I hope you put this into practice. Please tell me if you do and update me weekly on how it has helped and if it has helped at all. I want to be of help to you guys. Take care.
Also, this helps those with OCD.
Okay, so I've been suffering from anxiety and depression for the last 4 years now so when the tinnitus hit, I knew what the problem was....my reactions towards it, not the noise it's self. That's what being in therapy does for you, and being a very self aware person. So understanding that this was the case I knew I needed to get out my handy techniques to help cope. And I want to share them with you all in hope that it helps you.
I'll break it down to two categories, thoughts and feelings.
The thoughts that most of you have had, /and are getting.
I'll never be the same, How will I live my life?, It will never go away, it's only getting worse, how will I ever be able to enjoy myself again?, I won't ever be able to listen to music, It will get worse in the future, I don't want to live with this forever, what if I end it all, I don't want to die but I can't stop the feelings/thoughts so will have to, I'll never be normal, how will I go on dates etc.
Again, the problem is not even these thoughts because its normal to feel that way, it's your reaction to the thoughts. You see, the mind is very powerful, but it's also not very known for staying stuck on the same thing for too long. What I mean is the brain won't stay stuck on these thoughts and feelings, and will probably start to give you new worries before it decides to stay stuck on the 'will I ever get better thought'?
So what do I do? and what should you do when the thought arises?
Well, you want to not try to push the thought out of you're mind. Because that's the worst thing to do, but if it helps you, so be it. But trying to not think of it is only going to make you think of it. Like the whole example with, "don't think of the elephant" but then you do because you're trying so hard not to think of it. You see, you have to allow the thought to be there first and feel it for a while, like when you taste a ice cream and let it swish around in your mouth before swallowing, but then over time you must replace the thought immediately with something else when it pops up (ex. it will only get worse) - switch to: what am I going to eat for dinner? Then focus on what are you going to eat? go through the lists of food in you're head. Apples, oranges, chicken, salad, tuna, rice, etc. Then go cook. The point of holding the thought there at first is to get use to it as if it were a roommate. You get used to it and let it not have so much power over your mood.
What do you know you forgot about the thought for a minute. But oh no, the thought is back. That's okay, because you are only beginning to change the way you think so the thought will come back. But I promise you, later down the road, you will get good at it and before you know it, a minute, an hour, a day, a month has passed and you forgot the thought that was troubling you, or you stopped caring about it.
Another example, It will never go away. switch to: I got to clean my room. Let's see, I have to pick up the socks, I have to fix the bed, take the bottles to the sink, clear out the desk, take the towel back to the bathroom etc. And then begin to actually clean.
And believe me if this anxiety is troubling you, your room is probably a mess. LOL
The point of this exercise is to help focus your mind completely on something else so that it forgets what was troubling you. But, you have to make sure you're attention is at least %95 on the task. And if cleaning is not helping, get involved in a task that needs you're attention completely like playing a video game, sorting your papers, playing an instrument etc.
Okay, so that's how to deal with the thoughts related to the anxiety. Now what about the anxiety it's self?
Well, anxiety believe it or not can be present without the thoughts. You can literally have no reason for the anxiety attack you just had. So what should you do about it?
The answer is nothing. You have to feel the anxiety, don't push it away. But.......you have to do whatever it is that you were going to do for that day. Be it, the walk on the beach, the cleaning your room, making dinner, doing your homework, playing with the kids, going to work. Don't and I repeat don't , no matter how bad you feel, stop what you had planned for the day. Don't let it take away what you had planned unless its a full blown panic attack.
Like I said the mind never stays stuck on one thing for too long, and the anxiety will go. Be it, a minute from now, a hour, a day, etc
The purpose of this is to work through the feelings, and eventually they will pass. But make sure to: WORK THROUGH THE FEELINGS. You may even notice that you've been so focused on buying the groceries that you forgot about the feelings so you try to remember the feelings and then it comes back, but as I said that's completely okay, because you still have to drive home, or take transportation, or do something that will take your mind off it again. It takes practice but you will achieve It.
What are the end results for this? You stop focusing on what's troubling you. You begin to take back your power on how you feel from anxiety, from tinnitus, both. A weight on your shoulders will be lifted. You will begin to feel free, even if it lasts only a hour. But you can think back on that hour and realize it can be done.
THANKS SO MUCH for reading. And I hope you put this into practice. Please tell me if you do and update me weekly on how it has helped and if it has helped at all. I want to be of help to you guys. Take care.
Also, this helps those with OCD.
