New to This, Just in a Little Panic

[daniel1111]

Sorry for the generic stuff, just needed to write this out.

I've had T for 2-3 weeks, actually it could've been longer but I only noticed it while meditating (something I started a few weeks before that) and since then I can't un-notice it.

I believe I got it from using headphones too much, I usually listen to music all day at work and also when travelling to and from work and even then in the evenings sometimes.

I believe, from reading some of the stories that mine is actually very mild. It started only noticable in the right ear, but the pitch (but not volume) seemed to have lowered since then, which is less annoying, but then I started noticing it in the left ear which has a slightly different pitch. When I go outside, I generally can't hear it at all. If I go into a quiet room, I think "it's barely audible" - it feels very quiet, but after a while my mind just gets trapped on noticing it, even if it's mild. I don't want to get my hopes up that with it being mild it would likely get better easier, because I'll feel much worse if it doesn't then. I just want to try getting used to it.

Even when I put the TV on to drown it out, even though it's quiet I notice it. To be honest in the first 2 weeks it was getting better every single day, I even didn't notice it much one day and slept without any fan/background noise added.

I don't know what happened the last 2 days, but I fell into some kind of depression. I feel like I'm coming out of it but having that with T is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I know people say it gets better, but I've also read it doesn't for some people. I can't even imagine the next 6 months with it let alone the rest of my life. Today has actually been better than yesterday, but I didn't sleep so I'm not in a good mood. Yesterday I actually started to put my kitchen knives out of sight just in case. Luckily I haven't thought like that today.

I really really really really really symapthise with anyone suffering from T. I would give up every luxury I have to just go back in time a few weeks.

One good thing, is that I haven't noticed it ringing while writing this post.

I want to drink, but I've found alcohol temporarily makes it louder (or more noticable).


Is it better to drown out the noise of T or to face it head on?
Sometimes I feel like the respite provided by background noise will make the silent times worse. Does spending more time in silence help the habituation or does it just drive you crazier thinking about it?

I am just telling myself it's one hour, one day at a time.

Any tips would be welcome.

 

[billie48]

Welcome Daniel. Try to think positively about your T and your situation. As you say, your T is relatively mild. You are also very new to T. So it is very possible that it will fade or disappear. Don't rule out that possibility. What makes it intrusive is your reaction to it. But think of it, even if it stays, your T is still considered mild by many members here, and that you may habituate to it over time.

When T is new most sufferers are nervous and anxious about it. Sleeplessness can become a problem. The best way is to keep calm and be positive, because anxiety and stress are bad for T. Try to get busy with life so there will be plenty of distractions for the mind, so that it can't zoom in on T all the time. When the body senses that you are not paying attention to T and get busy with living, it will gradually get the message that T is not a threat. With that it can learn to fade T out of consciousness most of the time. If you need masking of your mild T, here are some suggestions. Take it easy & relax. You can get better. God bless.

TT's own audio player with great masking sounds:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/audioplayer/

If you need more masking sounds for PC, here is free 'aire freshener':
http://www.peterhirschberg.com/mysoftware.html

How about making your own soothing rain sounds with this rain generator:
http://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/rainNoiseGenerator.php

 

[daniel1111]

Hi Billie,

Thanks for your reply. Actually I feel so much better after just writing it out.

I just need to stop my mind running away with itself, unfortunately meditation would help that a lot but it's almost an impossible activity to continue with T active.

I'm trying to think of some kind of mantra, so when I start thinking about my T I can just say something along the lines of "Life is much bigger than this sound, I am ok with this and happy" and stop the negative train of thought.

 

[Phil-O]

Hi Billie,

Thanks for your reply. Actually I feel so much better after just writing it out.

I just need to stop my mind running away with itself, unfortunately meditation would help that a lot but it's almost an impossible activity to continue with T active.

I'm trying to think of some kind of mantra, so when I start thinking about my T I can just say something along the lines of "Life is much bigger than this sound, I am ok with this and happy" and stop the negative train of thought.

Hi @daniel1111
Try the Back to silence method in success stories , a few members are working at this. Best wishes Phil

 

[daniel1111]

Hi @daniel1111
Try the Back to silence method in success stories , a few members are working at this. Best wishes Phil

Thank you, I've just read through it and found it useful. I will see how it works out.


I had another awful night of sleep, I'm thinking maybe I'm not used to the white noise either. But I actually had some small sleeps so better than nothing.

For some reason I woke up with a much quieter T than I've had since the start. It's a good sign but I won't get ahead of myself.

 

[Nek]

The more you think about it the more it will increase in volume.
The brain process sound very close to the limbic system where our emotions are processed so it is natural that our emotions will be altered with the tinnitus.
Overtime it gets better. I never thought this could happen to me especially from a earwax removal which I've had before.

 

[glynis]

Hi Daniel,
Try using lavender on your pillow at night as will relax you and the sense of smell is a good tinnitus distraction.

Try keep up with sound therapy at night as takes a while to adjust to it and set the sound below your tinnitus .
Your brain will work hard to pick up the lower sound you have chosen and push your tinnitus to the background.
This helps in the day also.
Try Natural sleep aids if still find sleep troublesome...lots of love glynis