How to 'Not Focus' on Tinnitus?

[apccc]

Hello everyone, it's lovely to see so many people helping each other out. It's very encouraging.
I am a 30-year-old guy and around six months ago I noticed (when in a quiet room), sort of a hiss noise. Nothing too bothersome, like static or something. I have actually noticed in the past, funnily enough when I get up in the middle of the night to pee (dunno why) - I'll be on the toilet and hear the hiss for some reason. I have always been able to ignore it, though.

But six months ago it came to my attention again and I panicked. It really stressed me out because I feared it'd ruin my life and that I'd fail to sleep, which is turn would affect the rest of my life, and causes a chain reaction of bad things.

But it did settle and for a few months there, I barely noticed it until... I thought 'oh I haven't heard it much in a while' and BOOM I can hear it again, and it feels a bit worse than before. I am a bit of a hypochondriac and usually resort to worst-case-scenario thinking. Now I hear it all the time. Is this because my brain is very alert to it? Can this happen, where you go months of feeling good then you sort of 'latch' on to it again?

Like I said, it's really not that bad, but maybe the pitch is a little bit higher than six months ago. I haven't been exposing myself to any loud noises lately, so can this all be due to stressing about it? Could it actually have got worse?

I did have a head cold a few weeks ago and I noticed my ears felt "full" - maybe that has affected things. Please offer any advice, it is greatly appreciated.

 

[JohnAdams]

I feared it'd ruin my life and that I'd fail to sleep

If you weren't already losing sleep then why would you start now?

 

[apccc]

If you weren't already losing sleep then why would you start now?

I did for one night six months ago. Losing sleep is a big fear for me in general. Has been for years. If something bothers me mentally, I fear it will stop me sleeping. It's rather crazy.

 

[billie48]

But six months ago it came to my attention again and I panicked. It really stressed me out because I feared it'd ruin my life and that I'd fail to sleep, which is turn would affect the rest of my life, and causes a chain reaction of bad things.

Welcome to the forum. How to not focus on tinnitus as you ask in your post title? Perhaps we can ask 'why the brain focus on tinnitus'? It does so because from our stressful reaction the brain thinks T is a mortal threat. Once that happens, it zooms in on T and monitor it nonstop. So that is why when T is new and the brain is still struggling with the idea that alien T is a threat, then all senses are focused on T and the limbic system is activated due to the stress and anxiety buildup. At this phase, it is not easy to shake T. But over time, if you keep busy and live life as normal, perhaps taking on a new hobby, the brain can get so distracted and be bored with T. It gradually thinks T is not a threat but perhaps a nuisance or distraction. So the guard is down and then slowly the brain can learn to fade out T into the background and you don't even hear it even though it is loud.

This is something similar to passengers on a jet plane. When the plane takes off, you generally hear it all as it is a new sensation. But as time goes on and the plane flight is steady and routine, people tend not focus or hear the jet noise, especially when you are deep into watching a movie. The brain blocks off the loud jet noise even though it is all encompassing around you. Just imagine suddenly the pilot announces one of the engines has malfunctioned and the plane is heading back or will seek emergency landing, you bet every passenger is fully focus on the jet noise as now it is a threat if the remaining engine doesn't function properly. So you get the idea. Try to live life normally and positively, doing nothing for tinnitus. After some time, you will find your T may not sound as loud. The following is a success story of someone who gets better by doing nothing for tinnitus. Good luck. God bless.

Doing Nothing works this guy:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/doing-nothing-worked-for-me.4778/

 

[JohnAdams]

Welcome to the forum. How to not focus on tinnitus as you ask in your post title? Perhaps we can ask 'why the brain focus on tinnitus'? It does so because from our stressful reaction the brain thinks T is a mortal threat. Once that happens, it zooms in on T and monitor it nonstop. So that is why when T is new and the brain is still struggling with the idea that alien T is a threat, then all senses are focused on T and the limbic system is activated due to the stress and anxiety buildup. At this phase, it is not easy to shake T. But over time, if you keep busy and live life as normal, perhaps taking on a new hobby, the brain can get so distracted and be bored with T. It gradually thinks T is not a threat but perhaps a nuisance or distraction. So the guard is down and then slowly the brain can learn to fade out T into the background and you don't even hear it even though it is loud.

This is something similar to passengers on a jet plane. When the plane takes off, you generally hear it all as it is a new sensation. But as time goes on and the plane flight is steady and routine, people tend not focus or hear the jet noise, especially when you are deep into watching a movie. The brain blocks off the loud jet noise even though it is all encompassing around you. Just imagine suddenly the pilot announces one of the engines has malfunctioned and the plane is heading back or will seek emergency landing, you bet every passenger is fully focus on the jet noise as now it is a threat if the remaining engine doesn't function properly. So you get the idea. Try to live life normally and positively, doing nothing for tinnitus. After some time, you will find your T may not sound as loud. The following is a success story of someone who gets better by doing nothing for tinnitus. Good luck. God bless.

Doing Nothing works this guy:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/doing-nothing-worked-for-me.4778/

The plane analogy doesnt equate for someone with a high frequency dentist drill going off in their brains. It is not easy or even possible for some people to block thay type of noise out.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Welcome to the forum. How to not focus on tinnitus as you ask in your post title? Perhaps we can ask 'why the brain focus on tinnitus'? It does so because from our stressful reaction the brain thinks T is a mortal threat. Once that happens, it zooms in on T and monitor it nonstop. So that is why when T is new and the brain is still struggling with the idea that alien T is a threat, then all senses are focused on T and the limbic system is activated due to the stress and anxiety buildup. At this phase, it is not easy to shake T. But over time, if you keep busy and live life as normal, perhaps taking on a new hobby, the brain can get so distracted and be bored with T. It gradually thinks T is not a threat but perhaps a nuisance or distraction. So the guard is down and then slowly the brain can learn to fade out T into the background and you don't even hear it even though it is loud.

This is something similar to passengers on a jet plane. When the plane takes off, you generally hear it all as it is a new sensation. But as time goes on and the plane flight is steady and routine, people tend not focus or hear the jet noise, especially when you are deep into watching a movie. The brain blocks off the loud jet noise even though it is all encompassing around you. Just imagine suddenly the pilot announces one of the engines has malfunctioned and the plane is heading back or will seek emergency landing, you bet every passenger is fully focus on the jet noise as now it is a threat if the remaining engine doesn't function properly. So you get the idea. Try to live life normally and positively, doing nothing for tinnitus. After some time, you will find your T may not sound as loud. The following is a success story of someone who gets better by doing nothing for tinnitus. Good luck. God bless.

@billie48

If I may say so Billie, you have given a very good description on how not to focus on tinnitus.
Excellent post.

Michael

 

[fishbone]

Focusing on tinnitus is a normal thing, especially if it is something new to you. Everyone has had this issue and will continue to face it at times. Even at low volumes/hiss tinnitus can disrupt our patterns and make us think, wonder what is going on.

A lot of people tend to focus and listen to their tinnitus simply to measure their outcomes. They want to see if that noise is still there. They want to see if it has gotten louder. They are measuring progress and this is normal as well. All have done it and will continue to do it. They key take away is to slowly drift away from this mode and just settle into a mode of "it exists".

Here is my tinnitus formula:

TIME, PATIENCE, SUPPORT, ACCEPTANCE,DISTRACTION,SMALL BABY STEPS FORWARD.

All of these elements are vital and I have used them to get to the point that I am at right now. I have used these same elements for close to 32 years and still use it today.

Just do know that you are not alone, many have faced the same issues as you have.

PS-having a cold or an illness can possibly affect the ears, so that is not out of the norm either.

 

[Ed209]

The plane analogy doesnt equate for someone with a high frequency dentist drill going off in their brains. It is not easy or even possible for some people to block thay type of noise out.

That's exactly what I have all over my head and that's only one of my sounds.

 

[JohnAdams]

That's exactly what I have all over my head and that's only one of my sounds.

Try curcumin then.

 

[Ed209]

Try curcumin then.

I already take it and have on and off for probably the last 3 years or so. It doesn't do anything to my tinnitus and neither does any other supplement, but I take them anyway. Here's a little selection of my current line-up.

 

[Chilliwoman]

Welcome to the forum. How to not focus on tinnitus as you ask in your post title? Perhaps we can ask 'why the brain focus on tinnitus'? It does so because from our stressful reaction the brain thinks T is a mortal threat. Once that happens, it zooms in on T and monitor it nonstop. So that is why when T is new and the brain is still struggling with the idea that alien T is a threat, then all senses are focused on T and the limbic system is activated due to the stress and anxiety buildup. At this phase, it is not easy to shake T. But over time, if you keep busy and live life as normal, perhaps taking on a new hobby, the brain can get so distracted and be bored with T. It gradually thinks T is not a threat but perhaps a nuisance or distraction. So the guard is down and then slowly the brain can learn to fade out T into the background and you don't even hear it even though it is loud.

This is something similar to passengers on a jet plane. When the plane takes off, you generally hear it all as it is a new sensation. But as time goes on and the plane flight is steady and routine, people tend not focus or hear the jet noise, especially when you are deep into watching a movie. The brain blocks off the loud jet noise even though it is all encompassing around you. Just imagine suddenly the pilot announces one of the engines has malfunctioned and the plane is heading back or will seek emergency landing, you bet every passenger is fully focus on the jet noise as now it is a threat if the remaining engine doesn't function properly. So you get the idea. Try to live life normally and positively, doing nothing for tinnitus. After some time, you will find your T may not sound as loud. The following is a success story of someone who gets better by doing nothing for tinnitus. Good luck. God bless.

Doing Nothing works this guy:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/doing-nothing-worked-for-me.4778/

This is EXACTLY how I beat my anxiety. I wasted all my 30's to it and the day I dropped my weapons and gave up the fight was the day I started to get better. It wasnt easy but it also wasnt as hard as I thought. The fight was with an invisible man. Fast forward 5 years and anxiety sent his cousin tinnitus to bully me.

Well he's getting a few punches in here and there and sometimes they hurt..and I cry.. but I have my back up plan!

I dont like bullies and the best advice is to ignore them. So I'm gonna try that again!