Whether we deem her tinnitus is 'severe' or not, I think that it's great that she is sharing her struggle.
Mine is not severe, in fact it's probably reasonable mild, but it has affected me emotionally in ways I couldn't have imagined.
I still to this day don't think my life will ever be quite the same living with this.
I think it's brave of Susanna to share her struggles, and be open about living with this condition.
At the end of the day, this isn't about severity, this is about tinnitus as a condition, and I'm so bloody thankful that she is raising awareness because nobody else really is!!!!!!!!!
We should all be thankful - we need help, funds, research, awareness and education so desperately.
I'm mortified to think that Susanna would read some of these comments and like me, think "why the hell should I bother even trying to raise awareness or share my experience"?
She could just get on with her life and not mention tinnitus, but she did. We need this, we need high profile people speaking out.
Please, be appreciative of her sharing her condition. We are all suffering, perhaps to different degrees.
I'll be brutally honest in my feelings towards the tinnitus community - we don't donate, we put other sufferers down, and we generally are very apathetic. I just don't get it. I really don't.
I have donated a considerable amount of money to Danny's Fund, Hearing Health Foundation, TRI and Prof. Rauschecker. I DON'T HAVE SEVERE TINNITUS BUT I STILL CONTRIBUTE BECAUSE I WANT RELIEF FOR US ALL.
Then I wonder "why should I bother"? Nobody else seems to care.
If I get the opportunity to share my experience with tinnitus to a broader audience, then I absolutely would. Just because I don't have what others (and myself) deem to be severe tinnitus, doesn't mean I can't make a difference.
If you ever read this thread Susanna - thank you for raising awareness on behalf of all tinnitus sufferers.
Please, for all our sake's, let's work together and not against each other. It's in all our best interests.