Art as a Coping Method?

I am curious to know if some of you have any artistic pursuits and how, if at all, this ties into your struggle with tinnitus. I find myself up against a wall, or hanging off a cliff. My life is in tatters and I don't know how I am going to suffer through this condition. But, through this struggle, through this pain I find this may be the perfect opportunity for artistic inspiration. As if the noise is my muse, it may be a beneficial ailment. I have had the desire to take up painting, to manifest my suffering in some visible form.

Throughout my teen years and into my early 20s I was a musician. I found that I created the best music during my periods of intense suffering. And now, I feel as if it may be possible to utilize the same kind of power for another pursuit. Does anyone have any feedback on this? Anyone else have any artistic passions? I am a great writer but I find that it may not be the field for which to most effectively channel my strife.

 

I agree with @erik. Become actively absorbed in an artistic pursuit. Over the last few years, after the onset of my tinnitus, I have found that any time I am drawing, playing music, or writing, I do not notice my tinnitus. I think the key here is that one needs to create, as opposed to being a passive participant. That is, walking around an art gallery enjoying the pictures would not necessarily distract me from my tinnitus the way that drawing a portrait does.

-Golly

 

I draw cats on top of magic: the gathering cards, it's a game I play. I leave the card text there, but erase the art and then draw cats on them with paint markers. Sometimes it distracts me, sometimes it just kills time. You can see them here: http://surrakandthetemurcats.tumblr.com

 

I just had a margarita and I feel better, about my T, and in general, than I have all day. I wish "booze as a coping mechanism" was more viable, but I think you just get tinnitus with a dude of cirrhosis.

 

I was a graphic artist for over 20 years doing signs and vehicles and really don't remember T bothering me, and I always worked alone usually in a quiet area. Also I'm into music and instrument making and I'm not bothered when I'm busy with that. Good question. I think you're onto something.

 

Love the cards. 'Breeding Pool' made me laugh loud. It felt good. Thank you.

 

Glad to help. I posted these on the main magic subreddit a while ago, one of my favorite replies was a guy who said "I saw the first one and I thought, 'oh look a shitty altered card'. Then I scrolled down a bit and thought 'huh, a whole lot of shitty altered cards'. Then I scrolled down further and thought 'you know, some of these shitty alters are pretty good.' Then I scrolled down to Breeding Pool and thought 'this is the best altered card ever'."

There's a whole subculture of people who try to either ultra-realistic alters where you extend the existing art over the borders well enough that it's hard to tell it's been modified, or people who do stuff like recreate classic paintings at a high level of detail on cards (Eric Klug being an example of a professional artist who does both). Clearly I'm not a professional artist and am going into a rather different direction with these, but they make me happy.