I'm surprised you call that negative just because I shared the actual facts of my experience of long-term tinnitus along with advising protecting hearing and avoiding medication if you can get by without it.
Again, I really hope you didn't take that negatively. I've been reading a lot of your posts, and every time I see the yellow Schwarzenegger, I know it's going to be something that scares me and makes me more anxious.
For example, in your last message, you said, "there is no magic 6 months formula or time period. It can happen in months, years, or never," which is technically true. However, someone who is new to tinnitus doesn't want to read, "It is possible that you will NEVER habituate." This is a scary prospect.
What if you phrased it like this: "Don't worry, MOST people do habituate, each in their own timeframe. Since your tinnitus is moderate, you most certainly will, sooner or later. A 6-9 month timeframe is common." You are still conveying the same message, but in a much more positive light. The people who never habituate or take years to do so are a small minority compared to everyone else.
That said, I apologize if I came across as offensive in any way. My intent wasn't to offend you. While it's important to remain realistic and offer helpful advice, we also need to maintain a positive and encouraging attitude.
Thank you for your reply,
@Furetto. I don't know how loud the ringing in your ears is, and it's probably difficult or impossible to compare. I would say that my tinnitus is comparatively quiet but very high-pitched. But on bad days (and I still have a lot of them), it is very intrusive and extremely annoying, and I can hear it over everything, in conversations, sitting outside, listening to music, watching TV—on bad days, I can only drown it out or mask it with artificial noises.
Typical tinnitus is high-pitched, and most people, including me, experience it that way — the typical "eeeeeee" sound.
Mine isn't very loud, but its perception varies. The other day, I spent the afternoon playing board games at a shop, followed by dinner, and I completely forgot about it for half the day. However, I can often hear it over the TV.
When I walk down the street, sometimes I hear it over the traffic, and other times I don't. If I play video games, it often fades away completely. Still, there are times when it bothers me. In those moments, playing white noise at even minimal volume is a relief because it drowns it out.
I'm currently working on a progress post in my thread now.