Jim's Success Story

[Jim]

Thanks for everything you have done @Markku. You are my friend for life.
Being part of this forum has been a rewarding experience for me. I've met lots a great people and learned lots along the way.

Here's what happened recently in a nutshell.
I've been a sailor for years. Turns out it's a great activity for tinnitus sufferers for several reasons. The wind noise masks the tinnitus and the mental activity takes your mind away from it. I have used sailing as my "medicine" for several years.
In May I went on a 2 week sailing trip and had no internet access for the duration. About a week into the trip I noticed I was going for several hours at time without any perception of "it". By the end of the trip I realized that I was no longer thinking about it nearly as much. I was spending whole days without noticing it.

Long story short, when I returned home I was a little hesitant to start back into my routine, get up in morning, check the forum, catch up on all the posts, write something and then ponder the whole thing all day.
So I spent a couple months away from the forum and all tinnitus related stuff.
Things have continued to improve. I can go most of the day without thinking about at all. I still have it at night. I still listen to the sound tracks with earbuds. But I no longer need any sleep meds. (after several years of Ambien nightly) The tinnitus is not gone, but I don't care anymore.

So I guess the good news is, in the last few years I have gone from, well, basically suicidal in the beginning, to someone who doesn't really consider it to be much more than a nuisance.
I really hope this provides some hope for the future for those of you who are going through the rough times now. It can get better.

This forum and others have helped me get through some really rough times and I hope you all get as much from it as I have.

But now I think it's time for me to say goodbye, for a while anyway,
so,
Thank you all, and
Goodbye.

 

[Jim]

Hi friends, I haven't checked in here for quite a while so I thought I'd give a quick update with a little explanation for my absence and possibly a little positive feedback . As you all are painfully aware Tinnitus provides us all with quite a range of distressing experiences to say the least. One the most frustrating characteristics of tinnitus is the dichotomy presented in which the tinnitus sufferer needs to ignore or "habituate" to the perception of ringing in the ears but at the same time is highly motivated to learn as much as possible about the disorder and do everything possible to reduce the torment, thus focusing great amounts of time, energy and attention on the very thing you need to ignore. Seems very nearly impossible at times and I know many of you are suffering desperately right now.

Some of you know from my previous posts that my tinnitus started out horribly bad but has been greatly improving over time. But I got to the point where I thought spending time here on the forum was causing me to think more about "it" and preventing me from completely letting it go. I decided I needed to try to ignore it completely and hence my absence from this forum.

Here's the good news. It's been several months since my last post and things have continued to improve. Or maybe I have just habituated to it, I'm not sure which.
I still have it, it's there 24/7, but I can go for long periods without noticing it. And it does get loud occasionally, but I no longer care! It does not affect me.

I've been around these forums for quite a while and I think this is fairly common, people improve, move on, and never come back to report that things actually do get better...

So I want everyone to know that it can get better, don't give up hope. Use this forum, it's a great resource with lots of knowledge, understanding and compassion. It took me many years to get here. At times I didn't think I would would make it. But I'm glad I didn't give up and suffered through.

Best wishes to all of you,
Jim

 

[Louise]

Thanks Jim.

 

[stantheman]

Jim - man, you look great and really relaxed piloting that boat. I am envious. Being out there on the water has got to have a positive effect on your psyche and the tinnitus. You are a lucky man.

 

[jazz]

Thanks for the update! It is so wonderful to hear success stories--and you do look happy in your boat!! I know it is good not to be on the boards, but perhaps every few months you can say "hi" and keep us updated!

Good luck!!!

 

[Path Maker]

Bumping this up for new people to read!

 

[Zora]

@Path Maker are you habituated/or on your way to habituation?

 

[Path Maker]

@Zora Not sure, actually . I guess because I am living with my own self-definition of how I am responding to this? In some ways, it is easier to ignore and enjoy the day (as opposed to simply "getting through" it). That's been the result of me working with my own thoughts to help myself cope.

Then, there's the part of me that is scientific and curious and also fiercely self-protective, and that part will never just "let it go" (and will keep searching for ways to help it get better).

At the same time, there is another part of me that won't allow life to get lost while searching.

So I guess I'm juggling a lot and balancing a lot, and just kinda hanging in, like many.

I've had lots of practice coping with crapola in life, so I guess that helps. And not to just focus on the crapola, because I also carry inside the great feeling that there is SO MUCH to appreciate and feel blessed about in this life. Sunshine rules my spirit, even though there is much sadness in the world.

There's also joy and beauty and the chance to help people every day.

How about you?

 

[annV]

This story brought a smile on my face, thanks for the pictures @Jim!