In the dumps

[GMac14]

Hi everyone,
It's been a while and I wish I had some good news to report. I've been having a real hard time coping as of late mainly due to anxiety and depression. I'm exhausted. I've recently left my job due excessive stress related to my tinnitus. I'm broken at the moment and today I have an appointment with my therapist to discuss anti-depressants. I've been reading a lot about TRT and habituation and trying to remain positive and removing the negative stigma of T I've built in my mind. Need some words of encouragement at the moment.

 

[II Packy II]

I'm suffering as of the moment too man. I'm having trouble leaving my room anymore because the T has become unlivable. I hope you feel better and the T lessens. Recently for me, I've been hearing low rumbling and my heartbeat. Had an ear infection and what the ENT believes I'd leftover inflammation. He thinks it is causing the increased ringing. Also had a tube put in that ear for injections. The ear was fine until the tube actually came out. Since then it's been hell

 

[LadyDi]

I am so sorry you are feeling down, GMac14. Those days are really hard. We all know them here at TT.

You are relatively new to tinnitus, so you are in the worst of it right now. I promise: it will get better. Go to the Success Stories section of the forum. ShiningStar wrote her post there when I felt like I was at the bottom of a black hole; I drew a lot of strength from her words and kept a print out of it, so I could read it when I was down.

Not everyone here agrees: But I will tell you the key to me starting to climb out of that hole was accepting my tinnitus instead of objecting to it. I had to learn to embrace the fact that it was part of my life like any chronic condition, such as severe arthritis. I also kept looking to the future; what could I do to help myself, even if I couldn't completely make it go away. It sounds like you are on that path if you are willing to go to a therapist, take some medications to get you over the hump. Good for you. You will make it.

I has been almost seven months for me and I will tell you what I never thought I would say: Yes, I still have days where my tinnitus annoys me. And I probably always will have those days. But tinnitus never controls me and it doesn't run my life any more. I do all the things I always have loved to do, even if I sometimes have to tweak them a little (for example, I still go to the theater... but wear ear plugs). I have a good life and I am happy.

Build yourself a team of good professionals -- therapist, ENTs who actually want to help you, audiologist -- and good friends who will be there for you. Research your options but don't do anything out of desperation; there are a lot of quacks who just want to take your money. Try things that look promising but if they don't work after giving it a good try (and some won't work, every T patient is so different), don't get bummed. Just move on to the next thing.

Oh, and most important: Distraction, distraction, distraction. Get out, do things you like, get some exercise. Start a new hobby. Learn to meditate, good for the anxiety (the guided tapes are good places to begin). The bad part about leaving your job is then it is just you, your anxiety and your ringing ears. I would suggest you go back to work (depending on what you do and if you took a leave vs. quit), as soon as you think you can handle it.

YOU WILL BE OK! PROMISE!!

D

PS: How strange. I just noticed you got tinnitus on my birthday. So I will make sure I am here for you.

 

[Karen]

GMac14,

I'd like to offer my encouragement, too. I don't have much to add to what Lady Di has said (above); she has summed it up very well!

I've been a member of Tinnitus Talk for almost 2 years now, and those of us here with tinnitus have learned, over and over again, that if we give it a little time, distract ourselves, and find ways to stay calm, we can overcome the hurdles, so that tinnitus doesn't bother us so much any more. It's not that it isn't still there; it's just that it doesn't run our lives any more.

I'm glad that you're going to a therapist soon; that is definitely a step in the right direction. Perhaps he can prescribe something that will help, or make other positive suggestions for you to try. The main thing to do right now is to put one foot in front of the other, and keep moving forward!

I agree with Lady Di that work (depending on what you do) can actually help you with habituation. Unless your work is very stressful, it can provide a much-needed distraction to you every day, and a safe haven for you to go to where you don't think so much about the noises in your head.

I wish you a quiet evening, and please know that we are here for you. We understand what you're going through right now!!