Tinnitus' Impact on Social Life

[MuffinMan]

Frankly getting an active social life was something I always struggled to have, I am very introvert, in fact I always suspected mild autism, now with tinnitus I feel my options are even far less.

I am now scared to go to social events where music is loud, parties, weddings, cafe bars, cinemas, birthday, football matches .... even with earplugs some places seem to be too risky since my ears seem to be very sensitive. There are loud sounds almost in all social events.


For instance, my girlfriend's friends sometimes invite her to such places, now I cannot always accompany her if the place is loud; luckily she doesn't like noisy places either.

How do you cope socially with tinnitus?

 

[Sam Bridge]

I've been to football games and I didn't wear plugs. It was only moderately loud for a few moments when goals were scored. Cafes aren't that loud?

Do you have hyperacusis?

 

[MuffinMan]

I've been to football games and I didn't wear plugs. It was only moderately loud for a few moments when goals were scored. Cafes aren't that loud?

Cafe bars, not Cafes.

Do you have hyperacusis?

Frankly I am not sure.

 

[Bill Bauer]

How do you cope socially with tinnitus?

Instead of fighting my introverted nature - I fully embrace it. Not having a social life will solve all of your problems.

 

[Emperor-Drax]

I'm a public speaker, radio broadcaster, interviewer, and I attend a lot of conferences, networking sessions, corporate lunches and exhibitions. A social life is my job!

 

[coffee_girl]

I usually take someone along with me and sometimes I'll trick them into going in first. If she comes running out screaming with her ears to her head... I definitely know it's too loud

My social life hadn't changed much, instead of going out often, I host more. I love cooking so I focus on that as a positive to having T. Always been extroverted, I have a lot of energy and I'll take it out on others until they roll over and give up

 

[MuffinMan]

I usually take someone along with me and sometimes I'll trick them into going in first. If she comes running out screaming with her ears to her head... I definitely know it's too loud

My social life hadn't changed much, instead of going out often, I host more. I love cooking so I focus on that as a positive to having T. Always been extroverted, I have a lot of energy and I'll take it out on others until they roll over and give up

I envy your energy, coffee girl.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I'm a public speaker

In certain light, so am I (I teach).

 

[GregCA]

Frankly I am not sure.

I think you'd know if you had it. Hyperacusis is hard to miss!

 

[MuffinMan]

I think you'd know if you had it. Hyperacusis is hard to miss!

I see, but probably I am being bit phobic of loud sounds lately, afraid of more hearing loss (and louder T).

 

[GregCA]

I see, but probably I am being bit phobic of loud sounds lately, afraid of more hearing loss (and louder T).

That's phonophobia. Hyperacusis is different. See https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3216140/

 

[Starthrower]

I have adjusted my social life because of tinnitus/hyperacusis. I don't understand why this is an issue with some people.

It isn't that I am non-social though. I just do not go to movies or loud places for dining or go early before the crowds arrive. I have had to leave several dinners or parties because of noise levels.

I understand for single people that are in their twenties though when friends are still going out without a care in the world. That has to be difficult.

I am not "afraid". I just know the consequences of over exposure. So I find my comfortable medium for socializing with people.

 

[IvanRus]

@Bill Bauer, can you write to me in a private message, how did you manage to convert your introversion into profit and earnings? I consider my introversion a negative quality.

***
In general, social life faded.

I love football and I love to watch football in the stadium. Now I no longer do this.

I dreamed of being in Turkey, in Istanbul, at the loudest and fanned stadium of Besiktas. Now I hardly want to get there.

Discos, Loud bars, Loud rock concerts - all this has ceased to be part of my life.

Also a relationship with the female sex.

I dreamed of building a sauna and a house with my own hands. Now it is postponed indefinitely - a lot of knocking, cutting and other loud sounds.

 

[another sean]

what's a social life? .......

 

[MuffinMan]

@Bill Bauer, can you write to me in a private message, how did you manage to convert your introversion into profit and earnings? I consider my introversion a negative quality.

***
In general, social life faded.

I love football and I love to watch football in the stadium. Now I no longer do this.

I dreamed of being in Turkey, in Istanbul, at the loudest and fanned stadium of Besiktas. Now I hardly want to get there.

Discos, Loud bars, Loud rock concerts - all this has ceased to be part of my life.

Also a relationship with the female sex.

I dreamed of building a sauna and a house with my own hands. Now it is postponed indefinitely - a lot of knocking, cutting and other loud sounds.

I understand that, I am in a relationship stat started before T... but I don't I think I would have the motivation to seek for one if i was totally single.

 

[JohnAdams]

Thankfully I didnt have a social life to lose.

 

[Striveon]

Sadly, I've isolated from friends, hard time getting through college (I'm smart but T has shattered my concentration) and no interest in meeting anyone at all. Also, I'm scared of loud places, I just feel like it'll make my hearing damage and T worse. I feel trapped and discouraged for anything. I'm just trying to work on my mental health with T and stick to my family's support and company (all I need right now).

 

[MuffinMan]

^ I can imagine T would make dating the opposite sex very hard too.

Frankly, a T makes a guy sounds very boring, imagine you are explaining to your date that you can never go to concerts, parties, cinemas, and all kinds of loud music events because of a condition that she probably never heard of and that makes 'sounds in the head'? You have to be Ryan Golsing lookalike and have a Trump confidence in order to make her overlook that.

Hell, in case of going into a more serious relationship, just imagine telling her that you can never have a a wedding party, which are traditionally very loud - something that she probably wanted it since ever. Seriously why anyone would stick to this while there are plenty others.

 

[Striveon]

^ I can imagine T would make dating the opposite sex very hard too.

Frankly, a T makes a guy sounds very boring, imagine you are explaining to your date that you can never go to concerts, parties, cinemas, and kind of loud music events because of a condition that she probably never heard of and that makes 'sounds in the head'? You have to be Ryan Golsing lookalike and have a Trump confidence in order to make her overlook that.

Hell, in case of going into a more serious relationship, just imagine telling her that you can never heave a bachelor and wedding parties, which are traditionally very loud - something that she probably wanted it since ever. Seriously why anyone would stick to this while the other plenty others.

I am a female and I think the same way of the opposite sex. What guy would want to date a female that constantly has to wear earplugs, can't listen to loud music on long drives, can't go family parties with him, concerts, movie theatre, etc. It's hard for everyone dealing with T because everyone is out living a normal life without precautions, while there we are with T, paranoid it'll get worse. They'll probably want to date people without T.. I see how it's funner anyways and it sucks...

 

[MuffinMan]

I am a female and I think the same way of the opposite sex. What guy would want to date a female that constantly has to wear earplugs, can't listen to loud music on long drives, can't go family parties with him, concerts, movie theatre, etc. It's hard for everyone dealing with T because everyone is out living a normal life without precautions, while there we are with T, paranoid it'll get worse. They'll probably want to date people without T.. I see how it's funner anyways and it sucks...

Yeah, unless they fall madly in love with you at first sight which happens in movies only, most people would want to date issues-free people.

Only someone with T like us will understand but it's so unlikely to find a compatible match with T at the same time.

 

[Emperor-Drax]

^ I can imagine T would make dating the opposite sex very hard too.

Frankly, a T makes a guy sounds very boring, imagine you are explaining to your date that you can never go to concerts, parties, cinemas, and all kinds of loud music events because of a condition that she probably never heard of and that makes 'sounds in the head'? You have to be Ryan Golsing lookalike and have a Trump confidence in order to make her overlook that.

Hell, in case of going into a more serious relationship, just imagine telling her that you can never have a a wedding party, which are traditionally very loud - something that she probably wanted it since ever. Seriously why anyone would stick to this while there are plenty others.

Well... bwahahahaha!

This post amuses me a lot because a girl who I'd been dating in early 2016 (way before my initial ear incident in June this year) dumped my arse hard straight after her friend's wedding party she invited me to because... I wore earplugs.

My hearing was perfectly fine, but after attending a few previous wedding receptions in the past, I was no stranger to how damn loud they could get. So I decided to wear a set of earplugs during the event. I told her prior that I'd be doing this, but this was such a foreign concept to her, she protested like hell, looked at me like I was an alien during the event, and two days later after not hearing a word from her, she texted me saying she doesn't want to see me anymore, that it was "effeminate" to worry about my ears, and that she wanted a "manly man".

Looking back, I think I was fanning the flames a bit (trolling her) by wearing the earplugs just to gauge how she'd react to it, but she sure showed her true colours that night and a few days afterward.

 

[MuffinMan]

Well... bwahahahaha!

This post amuses me a lot because a girl who I'd been dating in early 2016 (way before my initial ear incident in June this year) dumped my arse hard straight after her friend's wedding party she invited me to because... I wore earplugs.

My hearing was perfectly fine, but after attending a few previous wedding receptions in the past, I was no stranger to how damn loud they could get. So I decided to wear a set of earplugs during the event. I told her prior that I'd be doing this, but this was such a foreign concept to her, she protested like hell, looked at me like I was an alien during the event, and two days later after not hearing a word from her, she texted me saying she doesn't want to see me anymore, that it was "effeminate" to worry about my ears, and that she wanted a "manly man".

Looking back, I think I was fanning the flames a bit (trolling her) by wearing the earplugs just to gauge how she'd react to it, but she sure showed her true colours that night and a few days afterward.

Man, this is funny and very sad too.

I wonder if there's subtle earplugs out there in the market where no one can notice them.

 

[Emperor-Drax]

Man, this is funny and very sad too.

I wonder if there's subtle earplugs out there in the market where no one can notice them.

I wore Mack's ear plugs, which are flesh-toned, so nobody else would have seen them. I think this girl was a bit mad anyway - deeply concerned about how her friends would view her, and very much in the mindset that her "man" must be the type who would recklessly sacrifice himself for her sake. A bit of a zealous romantic, she was, and a guy with earplugs contradicted that idealised vision.

 

[MuffinMan]

I wore Mack's ear plugs, which are flesh-toned, so nobody else would have seen them. I think this girl was a bit mad anyway - deeply concerned about how her friends would view her, and very much in the mindset that her "man" must be the type who would recklessly sacrifice himself for her sake. A bit of a zealous romantic, she was, and a guy with earplugs contradicted that idealised vision.

Yeah, sadly a lot of people care too much of the partner's "image" in front of friends - that's not just T related problem. Probably 50% of relationship problems comes from that.

 

[Wolfears]

Well... bwahahahaha!

This post amuses me a lot because a girl who I'd been dating in early 2016 (way before my initial ear incident in June this year) dumped my arse hard straight after her friend's wedding party she invited me to because... I wore earplugs.

My hearing was perfectly fine, but after attending a few previous wedding receptions in the past, I was no stranger to how damn loud they could get. So I decided to wear a set of earplugs during the event. I told her prior that I'd be doing this, but this was such a foreign concept to her, she protested like hell, looked at me like I was an alien during the event, and two days later after not hearing a word from her, she texted me saying she doesn't want to see me anymore, that it was "effeminate" to worry about my ears, and that she wanted a "manly man".

Looking back, I think I was fanning the flames a bit (trolling her) by wearing the earplugs just to gauge how she'd react to it, but she sure showed her true colours that night and a few days afterward.

Again, I wish I had the powers to hand out a crippling intrusive tinnitus "award" to someone who really deserves it for couple of months at least.
That girl would have be a prime candidate.

 

[Striveon]

Yeah, unless they fall madly in love with you at first sight which happens in movies only, most people would want to date issues-free people.

Only someone with T like us will understand but it's so unlikely to find a compatible match with T at the same time.

That's the sad part, they fall at first sight but me myself, I don't feel confident anymore. The thought of having to tell them I have a noise, is sad :/ they will only feel pitty perhaps. The thought that I have T, makes me avoid people. & all I'm rooting for is a cure that will free us all. Only then, we will be back to our normal self. Plus, it can still go away on its own! You never know!

 

[Striveon]

Well... bwahahahaha!

This post amuses me a lot because a girl who I'd been dating in early 2016 (way before my initial ear incident in June this year) dumped my arse hard straight after her friend's wedding party she invited me to because... I wore earplugs.

My hearing was perfectly fine, but after attending a few previous wedding receptions in the past, I was no stranger to how damn loud they could get. So I decided to wear a set of earplugs during the event. I told her prior that I'd be doing this, but this was such a foreign concept to her, she protested like hell, looked at me like I was an alien during the event, and two days later after not hearing a word from her, she texted me saying she doesn't want to see me anymore, that it was "effeminate" to worry about my ears, and that she wanted a "manly man".

Looking back, I think I was fanning the flames a bit (trolling her) by wearing the earplugs just to gauge how she'd react to it, but she sure showed her true colours that night and a few days afterward.

That's good! You dodged a bullet! You saw her true colors, it only showed you how 'supportive' she would have been in the future, clearly not at all!

 

[Striveon]

Again, I wish I had the powers to hand out a crippling intrusive tinnitus "award" to someone who really deserves it for couple of months at least.
That girl would have be a prime candidate.

That would be perfect!... sadly it's not possible!

 

[Emperor-Drax]

Again, I wish I had the powers to hand out a crippling intrusive tinnitus "award" to someone who really deserves it for couple of months at least.
That girl would have be a prime candidate.

It might of some comfort that after we broke up, she found some other poor schmuck, who stuck with her and proposed to her! But after 18 months, allegedly he strangled her and the engagement was called off. Facebook gave me a great show with all that violent melodrama she seemed to attract.

 

[Wolfears]

It might of some comfort that after we broke up, she found some other poor schmuck, who stuck with her and proposed to her! But after 18 months, allegedly he strangled her and the engagement was called off. Facebook gave me a great show with all that violent melodrama she seemed to attract.

Serves her right.