*SUCCESS OF SORTS* I have come to believe that success with Tinnitus is mostly to do with having realistic expectations. We have to develop a relaxed attitude .....accepting the inevitable. I have some hearing loss. I have some cochlea damage. I have some Tinnitus. (possibly an understatement!) I do not expect to wake up each morning to peace and quiet. It won’t happen. I go to sleep aware of this fact. I wake up to ‘hiss.’ My very first, in fact my only, self motivating directive is: “Easy Dave...hiss is perfectly normal.” “Easy Dave...hiss is perfectly normal.” Then I am able to forget about it, and get on with my day, my life. The principle is: “that which we expect......will not have the same power to surprise and distress us.” I have just had the best week ever, for three and a half years !! I kid you not. Jazzer xx PS “Easy Dave...hiss is perfectly normal.”
@newbieT That would be a matter of opinion. I qualified my post by heading it, a success of sorts. We know that Tinnitus can not be cured, do we not? We know that the best, perhaps the only way forward, is relaxed acceptance. By accepting and controlling my response to it, I genuinely feel so much better, free of panic, and free of anxiety. But then - perhaps you have a better idea of Tinnitus success? Over To You......??
I agree tinnitus success is subjective. however there needs to be some limits as to what is a "success story". If havung a good week is a success story then i wouldve succeeded dozen times. And whats next, having a good few days? Didnt think about my T this morning, is this a success story? my point is people come here specifically for storys of people ultimately overcoming their T, or long term positive change in their condition. A good week reads more like a update than a "success story" again dont take it personal, im just a little concerned about the direction this "success story" section seem to be taking.
I have never had a good week. Never. I have never been able to hang on to a relaxed acceptance for even one whole day. Perhaps you can grasp that, and perhaps you can’t. I don’t write to impress you, or anybody else come to that. My method appears to be working well for me. I will continue working with my daily meditation, my positive directive, and my realistic appraisal of the best way forward.
I couldn’t agree with you more @Jazzer. I find it a disgrace that anyone could ever be so dismissive of someone’s suffering... I think mine is what you call a hiss but i’m not sure, all I know is that it is high pitched and constant. I’m really glad you’ve had a good week though.
@Philippe - to exhibit that lack of respect, let alone total lack of consideration, I find quite appalling. He obviously suffers, so I can forgive him, but he doesn’t know how many times I’ve been near the edge.
Being fairly new to tinnitus (going on 4 months now), I appreciate hearing about strategies that have been helpful to people on both a long-term and short-term basis. I don't know if my tinnitus will ever go away, but I have already noticed that if I tell myself that it will go away and ignore it, it usually decreases significantly in loudness. Conversely, once I notice it, the volume automatically increases. Then I have to tell myself again that it will ultimately go away, and the circle continues. It's like a longterm mindfulness exercise! It certainly does require a lot of concentration on my part to keep this up, but maybe it will become more automatic in time. Meanwhile, I am happy for anyone who experiences some relief from this horrible condition.
I "love" it when someone comes in with a perfectly reasonable, honest story about their own experience and then immediately gets pissed on by a brigade of condescending, mindless pessimists. @Jazzer ignore such people; you've got the right idea. Anyone who doesn't understand that the way we choose to think about things, over time, can deeply change the structure and function of the brain has not been paying much attention to what neuroscience has been saying over the last 30 years. Note that all the people disrespecting you have had tinnitus for less than a year, and therefore probably don't really have any idea what you are talking about.
Thanks for your support @linearb The reason I made some claims, and suggestionsa after just one week of improvement, with regard to ‘Expecting’ Tinnitus to continue, and therefore not being thrown by it’ was because, we have all pretty well accepted that there is no substantial cure for noise induced “T”, and come to accept that a change in perception is probably the best way forward. I just wanted to share that with people. Sort of “It’s helping me guys, maybe it could help you, I don’t know?” I have to say by the way, that nearly everyone I have met on here has been kind. Personal suffering seems to promote deep kindness. Okay, I’ve met a couple of ‘grouchers’ - so, surprise, surprise, I don’t seek out their company. Very best wishes buddy Jazzer x
