Mental Battle

[Carlos1]

Hello everyone. I've been here for over 5 years battling this beast we all call tinnitus.

I read all the struggles that people go through and it's heart wrenching.

To me the hardest thing in dealing with tinnitus aside from the blasting noise is the mental daily struggle.

People look at us and see nothing physically wrong and just think we are weak that we just can't handle life. That's so far from the truth. It's mind boggling. The mental toughness that we must have to live in this sometimes hellish life is beyond what I thought I was capable of.

The mental part of tinnitus is sometimes just as difficult as tinnitus itself. So please everyone keep battling because it's in the battle that we continue to live.

I'll cry my daily tears but I'll never give up.

Stay Strong

Carlos

 

[Michael B]

I'll cry my daily tears but I'll never give up.

That's what Dodger fans are saying.

 

[Carlos1]

It's been 7 years with tinnitus... not sure I'd make it this long if it wasn't for the support and kind words I've received on this forum. Although I consider myself past the "I cant live with this stage" it still gets the best of me often but I know I'm not alone in this battle.

Keep fighting and never give up.

Stay Stron!
God Bless and help those in need.

Carlos

 

[Daniel Lion]

Hi @Carlos1,
Good to hear from you, it's been a long time... stay strong... big hug.

Daniel

 

[Vicki14]

Great post and absolutely spot on! It is indeed a mental battle & a very very frustrating one. I wish there was an 'off' switch for this racket! We are all certainly very strong in being able to put up with this every day! x

 

[linearb]

People look at us and see nothing physically wrong and just think we are weak that we just can't handle life. That's so far from the truth. It's mind boggling. The mental toughness that we must have to live in this sometimes hellish life is beyond what I thought I was capable of.

I think this is very true, accepting it is very hard, but the act of acceptance that this is permanent and challenging, can reduce anxiety and lead to a higher quality of life, given our limitations.

I rely on daily medication and meditation, and both are helpful in allowing happiness to shine into my life. However, I powered through the first five years of this with just the meditation, and even though it's certainly not a silver bullet, it definitely can build exactly the kind of mental fortitude and calm abiding that's necessary to tolerate life under excruciating circumstances.

Long term imaging studies have demonstrated that long term meditation causes reliable, repeatable structural brain changes which include decreases in mass in areas responsible for fear, perceptual intensity, and pain signaling. So, I do think it's possible that over a long period of time, these practices can actually reduce the intensity of tinnitus (this has been my experience), but, that takes years and so the reason to adopt these practices usually has more to do with getting though the day to day, unless you have the patience of a Buddha.

 

[Carlos1]

After 8 years of tinnitus, you'd think the bad days would be behind me.

Today I'd give anything for some peace in my head.

Most days I'm strong enough to endure the torture but today isn't one of them.

PLEASE Dear Lord help us.

 

[Sentinel]

I know that within my lifetime I'll be able to get treatment to lessen my tinnitus or resolve it, and that alone keeps me going. I'd say my faith or something like that keeps my head up but honestly it's my sheer will and determination.

I'm also aware that I've joined this battle near the turning of the tide where things that can treat or cure it are coming about. Unless a whole bunch of clinical trials all fall apart in sequence.

Until then we hold the line and comfort each other through this mutual struggle. We are stronger than most having gone through this anyway.

 

[2noist]

I will never complain about my nagging wife again if I get rid of the tinnitus.

One side effect of tinnitus for me is being like on high alert all the time. I don't get that "light" happy feeling in my body with tinnitus.

 

[Simon85]

Today I'd give anything for some peace in my head.

Hang in there brother. Today may be difficult but better days will come. You've made it through 8 years and you'll keep on going from here.

 

[Psych]

One side effect of tinnitus for me is being like on high alert all the time. I don't get that "light" happy feeling in my body with tinnitus.

For me, that "high alert" feeling seems separate from the perception of the tinnitus. There are times when I habituate to the tinnitus, and that's often when the "high alert" feeling is not there. I was going to ask people about this today. My high alert feeling may come from cortisol and/or hormones, but I still am curious if others perceive it as something separate, if that makes sense.