What Lifestyle Changes Have You Made Because of Tinnitus?

[Blujay]

What lifestyle changes have you made to accommodate your tinnitus, and how have you personally coped with the changes?

 

[Barbara777]

I avoid loud places. I used to love going with my friend to the movies, but no more. Basically, I go to work and come home to my quiet house. My t calms down in quiet places, as it is very reactive to noise. I don't socialize like I used to. T has certainly changed my life. I pretty much accepted this is the way my life is now. If I ever habituate, maybe things will change, but for now I'm a homebody.

 

[walkthroughwalls]

I stopped playing in loud bands and stopped going to loud concerts. Even with earplugs, these can be too much. I'm trying to get back into playing music at sensible levels, though. I hope that that is all I have to give up.

I also became depressed, although that was an involuntary lifestyle change.

 

[Telis]

I drink more, eat shity, don't socialize, don't work anymore and spend endless days pretty isolated.

 

[uae96]

I stopped flying that's a huge thing t and h took away from me which I loved , stopped going water sports in my jet ski , less socializing
But I started playing more football (soccer) which I havnt done so in a very very long time vamous barca!!!!

 

[PaulBe]

I moved out of town to a country property in Northern Australia, got a daytime-only part-time job in a small local Hospital, and stopped socializing almost completely.

 

[DebInAustralia]

I am nearing my 2 year anniversary with t.

For the 1st 2 weeks, I stopped working, socialising, engaging in the usual things that I loved to do because I thought my life needed to change to accommodate the new intrusion. Actually, like the majority of you here, I had catastrophic, negative thoughts about my future with t and h.

Gradually over time, I have returned to full time work as a midwife at a local hospital, learnt that I could sleep easily without masking, am back to enjoying sitting in quiet environments without often being aware of my t. My life is practically as it was pre t, except that I am more careful with protecting my hearing.

I no longer allow my t to dictate the direction I take in life.

T has taught me to care for me. I get more sleep. I am more mindful of my diet and exercise regime. I recognise the need to manage stress.

Most of the time, I don't feel t and h has robbed me of my quality of life anymore. In many ways, it has enhanced it. I have formed several meaningful relationships with people in similar situations from all corners of the globe, relationships I would not have had the opportunity to engage in otherwise.

For anyone wondering if there is a life beyond tinnitus, the answer is YES!!!!

 

[Fungus]

Initially I cut out caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods.I started taking magnesium, zinc, gingko, and various other homeopathic and herbal things including Goldenseal(yuk).
I then stopped flying, socialising,exercising, driving and avoided silent or very noisy places.
DEPRESSION big time.
Then I took a look at where I was...the darkest place I could ever be. I thought....Am I magnesium, zinc, selenium etc deficient? Answer....probably yes by then as I had virtually quit eating, but usually no.. Do I feel better as a result of the changes?....most of which happened spontaneously and due to the worsening depression......no, life totally not worth living and tinnitus as loud/louder than ever.
So, for once I took the advice of others....and started the anti-depressants.
Now (and 6 months on) I eat hot curries, drink alcohol and have LOTS of caffeine. I've largely ditched the supplements, eat well and sleep without maskers.
I started to drive, socialise and go out to events (even loud ones....plus ear plugs) and am soon to hop back on a plane.
Tinnitus just as loud, but MUCH less intrusive
Success for me was accepting I had tinnitus which had caused me to become very depressed. I was not taking a deficient diet, wasn't doing anything to cause/exacerbate it, and wasn't to blame for it.
Essentially old life back (plus tinnitus) rather than tinnitus being the whole of my life.

Fungus.

 

[Carlos1]

Question Life more, I live more isolated, I lie about how I'm feeling, I don't exercise as much, I pretend to be something I'm not anymore.

 

[John Duck]

Deb in Australia is bang - on. Don't let T dictate your lifestyle. The more you return to exactly the same lifestyle you had , before you had T., the quicker you will habituate.
T' should not decide how you live your life , why should it.
Other than carrying around a set of ear plugs and using them when you go to concerts or operate loud equipment ,your life should be what it was before.Good Luck.

 

[I who love music]

can't take aspirin
I avoid loud sounds, concerts included
carry cotton for emergencies
I've had T for so long that I grew up and got old with it. It's always been part of me.

 

[Codaz]

I still avoid swimming pools, take lot's of rest. Postpone all of my graduation and avoid going to loud events. I only did cinema just a couple of weeks ago, with custom earplugs. It was still good. When I took them out the last 30 seconds of the end credits, I experienced that the cinema is loud. I wonder how I could have done that so many years without fear or that the cinema's have gone louder over the years.

 

[DaniF]

I haven't made any changes because of the tinnitus, but I did leave a very stressful job for other reasons and found that my tinnitus and migraines became less severe. Migraines are a much bigger influence on lifestyle for me as I make an effort to avoid anything that will trigger one.

A hearing therapist told me that accepting it was the best thing I could do to keep myself sane (he also has tinnitus so I felt like he knew what he was talking about) and he was right. Its there and instead of being frustrated/annoyed, I take a moment to acknowledge that its there and move on to think about other things. I guess I just don't let it dominate my thoughts.

I've had it for four years now and in the first year I slept with a fan on in my bedroom, which helped to mask the high pitched buzzing. Not really a lifestyle change, but it helped while I was working on the whole acceptance thing.

 

[linearb]

I avoid loud places a lot more, and generally eat better, meditate more, say daily gratitude prayers, and try to consciously approach the world with love and empathy.

I'm in the process of moving from a stressful city into a quiet, pretty countryside location -- this is partially tinnitus motivated, but also just because I'm sick of the concrete jungle and want to be in a more wholesome feeling place (and my job is cool with remote workers, so why not).