Mystery Reader
Member
- Apr 24, 2018
- 217
- Tinnitus Since
- 11/2017
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Still Under Investigation
@Allan1967 @PeteJ
This is the "slippery slope" (protect? don't protect? how much?) we sometimes find ourselves on, and it can feel like a dreadful place to be. And, as with any internet forum out there, advice on this is going to be all over the map. I've gotten a lot of good advice from this forum (sometimes by asking questions, sometimes just by looking at what people post in response to others) and I've also stumbled over posts that have sent me into a panic. Most of us have similar experiences and can relate to what other people are posting about, yet no one seems to experience it quite the same. But I think we all understand the essence of the panic, or the fear, or the sadness, or the just plain not-knowing-what-to-do.
For myself, I try not to over-protect, but rarely a day goes by that I don't use protection of some kind, even if it is only for a few minutes. There are certain places where I still feel I need to protect -- at the market, when vacuuming, and yes, sometimes when doing the dishes, especially when I've gotten lazy and let them pile up. I try not to protect outside, but live very close to a railroad crossing and police and fire stations, and it seems, sometimes, that no matter what time of day it is -- the moment I step out the door is when the train goes through or the sirens start up. I stopped pretending a long time ago that there won't be situations where I need to protect. Those situations can vary from person to person depending on what kinds of noises disturb you, but I always have some kind of protection with me when I go out. It's standard equipment, now. My ear muffs don't do me any good sitting in my house if I'm stuck at a railroad crossing when a train is coming through. (I also have plugs in the glove compartment in case I do manage to walk off without the muffs.) As a rule, though, I try not to use them too much.
The challenge of all this, is finding the middle ground -- that place where you realize you don't have to protect versus that place where you do; to be aware, without overdoing it, or being careless. And this might change from day to day as you work your way through it. The EASIEST thing to do, is to panic -- to let anxiety overtake you to the point where you almost can't function. I would venture to guess that everyone on this forum has been there, and we understand that, even as we get a better handle on it, something can happen that puts you back at Square One. My own rule of thumb -- again, for myself, and based on my own experience -- is that if I feel I need to protect, then I do it. Even if it's only "that situation" on "that day." (The dishes are a good example for me. If there are pots and pans involved, I protect. If not, then maybe I don't need to do that. And retrospect tells me that, yes -- there have been times when I've protected when I probably didn't need to or shouldn't have, but it was what I needed THAT DAY.)
As an aside, I'm going through a bit of a rough patch with sound sensitivity right now. I can tell you this -- it's distressing, but I'm handling it a lot better than I would have a year ago, because I've figured out a few things that I didn't know a year ago. In my case -- and I know this for a fact -- anxiety makes it worse.
Find, and stay close to the positive people on the forum. You're not alone, and we're all rooting for you!
@PeteJ - You noted that using protection causes pain, if I read that correctly? Does simply pressing your ears closed with your fingers in loud situations case the same thing? Is it muffs or plugs or both that are causing the issue?
Also -- a big "Hello!" to @emmalee
Mystery Reader
This is the "slippery slope" (protect? don't protect? how much?) we sometimes find ourselves on, and it can feel like a dreadful place to be. And, as with any internet forum out there, advice on this is going to be all over the map. I've gotten a lot of good advice from this forum (sometimes by asking questions, sometimes just by looking at what people post in response to others) and I've also stumbled over posts that have sent me into a panic. Most of us have similar experiences and can relate to what other people are posting about, yet no one seems to experience it quite the same. But I think we all understand the essence of the panic, or the fear, or the sadness, or the just plain not-knowing-what-to-do.
For myself, I try not to over-protect, but rarely a day goes by that I don't use protection of some kind, even if it is only for a few minutes. There are certain places where I still feel I need to protect -- at the market, when vacuuming, and yes, sometimes when doing the dishes, especially when I've gotten lazy and let them pile up. I try not to protect outside, but live very close to a railroad crossing and police and fire stations, and it seems, sometimes, that no matter what time of day it is -- the moment I step out the door is when the train goes through or the sirens start up. I stopped pretending a long time ago that there won't be situations where I need to protect. Those situations can vary from person to person depending on what kinds of noises disturb you, but I always have some kind of protection with me when I go out. It's standard equipment, now. My ear muffs don't do me any good sitting in my house if I'm stuck at a railroad crossing when a train is coming through. (I also have plugs in the glove compartment in case I do manage to walk off without the muffs.) As a rule, though, I try not to use them too much.
The challenge of all this, is finding the middle ground -- that place where you realize you don't have to protect versus that place where you do; to be aware, without overdoing it, or being careless. And this might change from day to day as you work your way through it. The EASIEST thing to do, is to panic -- to let anxiety overtake you to the point where you almost can't function. I would venture to guess that everyone on this forum has been there, and we understand that, even as we get a better handle on it, something can happen that puts you back at Square One. My own rule of thumb -- again, for myself, and based on my own experience -- is that if I feel I need to protect, then I do it. Even if it's only "that situation" on "that day." (The dishes are a good example for me. If there are pots and pans involved, I protect. If not, then maybe I don't need to do that. And retrospect tells me that, yes -- there have been times when I've protected when I probably didn't need to or shouldn't have, but it was what I needed THAT DAY.)
As an aside, I'm going through a bit of a rough patch with sound sensitivity right now. I can tell you this -- it's distressing, but I'm handling it a lot better than I would have a year ago, because I've figured out a few things that I didn't know a year ago. In my case -- and I know this for a fact -- anxiety makes it worse.
Find, and stay close to the positive people on the forum. You're not alone, and we're all rooting for you!
@PeteJ - You noted that using protection causes pain, if I read that correctly? Does simply pressing your ears closed with your fingers in loud situations case the same thing? Is it muffs or plugs or both that are causing the issue?
Also -- a big "Hello!" to @emmalee
Mystery Reader
Member
