Would I Habituate Faster if I Didn't Mask?

[Isabella 123]

I'm spending a lot of time with earbuds filtering the rain forest into my ears, it helps to keep me sane. But would I get used to the ringing sooner if I just let it ring all the time? I'm not masking to totally cover the ringing, it would really take a high volume to cover it.

 

[Mark McDill]

I'm spending a lot of time with earbuds filtering the rain forest into my ears, it helps to keep me sane. But would I get used to the ringing sooner if I just let it ring all the time? I'm not masking to totally cover the ringing, it would really take a high volume to cover it.

Isabella
I understand your urge to habituate as fast as possible (I'm the same way); however, 'keeping sane' as you put it is a key part of the process. So, if you need to listen to earbuds to keep your anxiety down, give you a sense of control, and some needed relief -- do it (getting control of that anxiety is a big deal/big win). Just always keep the final goal (to habituate) in the fore-front; then you will slowly ween off the earbuds as you see fit. In the long run, what difference does a month or two (or three) make on the road to habituation? Not much. I still use my white noise generators; but I'm habituating just fine -- so it took a while, big deal. Nonetheless, I totally understand the urgency; just give it time, it will come.

Mark

 

[Isabella 123]

Yes, That makes a lot of sense to me, and it does keep me from "monitoring" all the time so that helps the anxiety.

I'm just trying to find my way without much help, the ENT I went to was so rude and dismissive that I've had to figure this out by myself. I know habituation is the goal rather than searching endlessly for that non-existent cure.... I've learned that much from this forum!

Btw, I see your posts a lot and you are such a wise and generous TT friend!

 

[I who love music]

My personal belief is that you can't listen to masking sounds and have your T attach to that and then it'll dissappear.
I just don't buy it.
After 40 years of wrangling with this, I protect my ears with cotton after a spike then don't listen to my T, I pay attention to my response instead. If I didn't do this, I'd be a nutcase.
And this has been my road to habituation. That's why my avatar is "Cheerful."

 

[EdnaLegume]

personally for me, I prefer not to use masking unless absolutely necessary. I've had to deal with habituation three times now. This time it seemed to come pretty fast because like above "I who love music" said, my response to the T is more important in the habituation process. I just simply say "it's noise, ignore it and move on". And I've done that. I now no longer really notice my T that increased a great deal a few months ago. Occasionally I might have a spike and use masking in the evening if I'm focusing on it for some reason. I also use a lot of masking at bedtime (fan, white noise machine and nature sound app by bedside).

I've hard so many success stories from people with all kinds of T, even very loud and disruptive T. The one thing most have in common is changing their reaction to the sound.

 

[Isabella 123]

I've just started this journey, it's been only 6 weeks. Will I get more able to say "it's just a noise"'as time passes? Sometimes when my whole skull is clanging I actually get nauseated.

 

[Magpie]

Isabella wrote:
I'm spending a lot of time with earbuds filtering the rain forest into my ears, it helps to keep me sane. But would I get used to the ringing sooner if I just let it ring all the time? I'm not masking to totally cover the ringing, it would really take a high volume to cover it.

If masking or whatever takes the edge off your tinnitus then keep doing it. It's not a race to habituate and it happens automatically over a period of time. In the end people will realize it's not the noise that is the problem it's how we react to it. If we don't fear it, stress about it then it shouldn't interfere with our lives. I can't mask and never have been able to mask mine with anything other than loud music through headphones which is a dumb thing to do. I did use an mp3 player with nature sounds and music for a period of time because I was really doing it hard but I no longer need anything now. Same thing will happen for you in time.