Tinnitus for 7 Weeks, Terrified and Suicidal, Only 19 Years Old — Please Help!

In a world where we are all used to quick fixes, tinnitus is hugely challenging to cope with. In terms of timescales, 7 weeks of tinnitus is probably similar to 10 minutes of a headache. Even after the initial trauma has long since passed, it will take an incredibly long time to resolve.

I have been exactly where you are now - I had never had any suicidal tendencies in my life. I have never needed any medication for my mood, sleeping tablets, or anything similar and I have had more than my fair share of traumatic events, but as I have since found out from my mum, for the first year of tinnitus, she was expecting a knock at the door from the police telling her that I had killed myself. I was so distraught, barely sleeping, eating, living. My life was falling apart around me. No-one understood, or seemingly even cared. ENTs knew less about it than I did and the whole situation seemed hopeless.

Tinnitus became all consuming, it defined me. I felt like I was disabled, but with an invisible disability that was destroying me, but to everyone else it was just a minor irritation, like a bruised knee, or a cut finger. Something that those unafflicted can't appreciate is that with most ailments, we can in some way escape, but tinnitus is different. No matter where you go, or what you do, it is always with you.

However, for a lot of people, it does improve hugely in time. No, I can't say it will go, but what will change is your ability to cope and your emotional response to it. Mine has been very quiet for a few weeks, but since the weekend, without apparent reason, it has become louder and more intrusive again. I have achieved, on average, fewer than 3 hours sleep per night, for 4 days, so I am exhausted, but at no time have I broken down, or become uncontrollably emotional. That doesn't mean I am fine with it yet - far from it, it still depresses me - but I have got a handle on it and you will too.
 
Some positivity please! Tinnitus 6 weeks in and im sooo suicidal! Im broken and more shattered than ever! I got t after a flight god knoes what happend! Hearing tests normal and typo test normal. What are the chances of recovery im so so so shattered. Im 19. :(
 
Some positivity please! Tinnitus 6 weeks in and im sooo suicidal! Im broken and more shattered than ever! I got t after a flight god knoes what happend! Hearing tests normal and typo test normal. What are the chances of recovery im so so so shattered. Im 19. :(
How the hell COULD ANYONE know what are your chances of recovery...

We wouldn't be here if we could see the future! every single one of us would have avoided this fate!

Wait it out! It can take 4 years to feel better
 
Some positivity please!
We could tell you what you want to hear, but there's a 50/50 chance we'd be lying. You're young and its only a recent event. Any outcome is still possible. To parrot an annoying cliche: only time will tell.
 
Hi priya997

I am a relative newbie to this but I couldn't not answer your post.

First thing you should do is read some of the Success stories on this board. People do get better. Either the tinnitus goes or reduces or they learn not to let it bother them (a long process sometimes, but attainable via various methods e.g. CBT). Many people here have been exactly where you are now and are now fine. Remember that many who have improved will never have used or will no longer return to this forum.

It is very early days yet tinnitus wise and you definitely have a chance of it just disappearing. Try not to listen to it . Then, according to some of the theory, your clever plastic brain will slowly stop tuning in to it. There are lots of noise files to have on in the background for your brain to listen to. Some here in this forum and many on the web and in apps. You have to find one that gives your particular tinnitus some relief.

Try very hard not to let it panic you, because your anxiety will very likely make it seem worse. The noise will not hurt you, it's not a warning signal of something awful approaching. Have you ever done any relaxation or mindfulness or tai chi etc that you can take up again?

Do keep reading and posting.
 
The first seven weeks of tinnitus....​

It grinds you down, it's relentless, pitiless, robs you of your sleep, your joy, your sense of hope . It leaves you a shattered shell cowering in a bottomless pit of despair.

Suicide...it..it seems a lot easier than staring at that ceiling all night long with your ears screaming at you, chipping away at any sense of rational judgement.

You're so anxious and terrified your nerves are wound up so tight that they feel like piano wire.

Everyone is bored listening to your erratic complaints.. your never ending suppositions about its cause and possible cure.

The doctors have no answers and hope you don't return next week with your annoying questions.

The internet is a friend and an foe. There're the dank and hallow horror stories too morbid to repeat...but we all know how they end.

The mind blowing number of amino-acids, vitamins and drugs you're told will help just empty out your bank account and your belief in ever attaining the mirage of silence.

Then the lure of narcotic induced oblivion. The temptation to drink yourself stupid, snort yourself obnoxious or simply fall into the socially acceptable benzo trap is irresistible.

All of it is only a temporary respite with a painful smack in the face after all the booze has hit the wall and "dust" has settled.

The fear..the nerve shattering fear robs you of your empathy for anyone but yourself. You become a self-obsessed neurotic prick. This dark metamorphosis erodes all your relationships. Whether family or friends.

The isolation creeps in...slowly but surely. And through this sense of abandonment a terrible resentfulness is born. Poor me! Poor fucking me!Why did the world have to take a shit on me?

And what follows for most people is months and years of very private and personal emotional pain.

Myself personally, I didn't deal with it well. I became a shadow of the man I was. After many ups and downs I finally habituated. It took about 18 months...long months.

I had an awful spike around that time that was equivalent to the tinnitus I believe someone would get if a bomb went off near their ear.

It was so loud I could hear it beside a lawnmower. But when it subsided to my usually soul crushing level I felt a powerful sense of relief that had me in tears.

After that I slowly pushed it to the periphery of my consciousness. It's still here 3.5years on, but it doesn't own me or torture me anymore. It's like any ailment annoying but you get on with.

Things can always get worse.....they really can.
 
@Priya997,
With tinnitus comes lots of unwanted emotions and getting to deal with them will help you cope better with the sound itself.
Talking therapy is good to help anxiety and panic as it's a build up of strong emotions that has no place to go causing the attacks.
When this happens put one hand on your stomach and one one your chest and breath in slow to the count of 3 and make your stomach rise up and breath out to the count of 4 slower and repeate till you feel more relaxed.

If you find the panic and anxiety hard to deal with and impacts on your mood or not sleeping enough have a chat with your doctor to get the help available.

Would be good if you could get to a Tinnitus support group as it will help chat in person to fellow sufferers.

As for the tinnitus sound itself that I know your suffering with its about finding what works for you to help you.
White noise generators might be a option for you and playing sound therapy through the night set below your tinnitus.
Sound therapy works its magic through the night set below your tinnitus and helps your brain push hard to pick up the lower sound you have chosen and push your tinnitus to the background to build up your brains natural filter and not see your sound as a threat.
I know it's the here and now you are finding a struggle and steroids might give you a few days break but not a cure as used more for respiratory problems .
Keep posting for support around the clock and we can all help you get through this hard time....lots of love glynis
 
How the hell COULD ANYONE know what are your chances of recovery...

We wouldn't be here if we could see the future! every single one of us would have avoided this fate!

Wait it out! It can take 4 years to feel better

Lol dude. If I were a moderator I'd delete this fucking depressing and hopeless post of yours in a heartbeat. Mostly because of how misleading and destructive it is.

OP, it's still possible to recover 100% from your condition even SEVERAL MONTHS after it starts. Very important to remember that stress causes tinnitus tones, and extreme stress, which you are undoubtedly experiencing, causes that too, to a much larger degree.
 
Some positivity please! Tinnitus 6 weeks in and im sooo suicidal! Im broken and more shattered than ever! I got t after a flight god knoes what happend! Hearing tests normal and typo test normal. What are the chances of recovery im so so so shattered. Im 19. :(

Hey Priya, I am not sure why some people are being rude to you. If your mood keeps staying negative, I would recommend going to the doctor and asking about medicine you can take for depression and anxiety. Right now I am taking Lamictal and it has helped me a lot and can be taken long term. There are other medicines out there but this helps me the most with my chemical make up. I also used to benefit from Klonopin but I took it too long and I actually think it increased my tinnitus after a couple of years. People are only supposed to use it for like a few weeks or once in a while. Xanax seems to be used by a lot of people that have tinnitus but that is the same issue. Shouldn't be used long term. In addition, I would recommend hearing aids with maskers (use maskers at low volume if possible in the short term). Try a pair out for 30 days and you can usually get your money back (check the store) if you don't like them. Get an extended audiogram that goes to 12khz instead of the usual 8khz. Get a large fountain for your bedroom so you can listen to it at night instead of the ringing. Medicine might be able to help you to get rid of some of these suicidal emotions. One thing though is if you take medicines you have to be aware of potential side effects. For example when I first took Lamictal I had to titrate up slowly or else I could get a dangerous rash. Also, try to live with a comforting person right now that sympathizes with people who are suffering. Also, if you do take meds and one of them increases your T contact the doctor asap. I hope you feel better soon. I know how panic attacks feel.
 

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