Bad Day

I'm in my 4 the week of tinnitus in my left ear. I am having a bad day. I have such a headache. I am filled with anxiety. My emotions are high. I just had a few good days so I'm not sure why. Doing everything I can to relax. I wish this would stop.

 

@Mam1526

All I can say is hang in there man. I posted a similar message to this forum last weekend when I was having a terrible time. I'm doing much better this week even though the T is the same as always. Resist the urge stay inside and fixate on it. Go to the gym, talk a walk, call up an old friend, clean the house....or whatever, just try to pretend like it's not bugging you and live you're life. Keep busy and your mind will start to tune it out. This has been the most effective strategy for me when I get into a rut, but I know it's not so simple. If the anxiety is really bad, talk to your doc about meds. I haven't gone that route myself but many others on this forum have.

 

Thanks washashore. It is a nice day here in new england. Looking forward to tomorrow for a better day!

 

Yeah, it's been a really nice stretch of weather. There are definitely good days and bad days with T. I hope tomorrow will be better for you.

 

If your T is so new and you already have good days, then relax and be hopeful that you will be just fine. I wasn't so lucky in my first 3-6 months. Every day was a long, dark day. I had to depend on meds to survive each day. So take it easy and don't stress yourself out with anxiety for the future. Setbacks are unavoidable on the pathway of habituation. So be mentally prepared for setbacks when they come like what you are going through now. You can also read up some members' success stories to give you comfort and hope that the good life will be and can be back. Take care and God bless.

 

Thanks billie48. I just read your story and feel there is hope for us!

 

Billie48 is absolutely right. This is a process and you will have setbacks Mam. Please know that it WILL get better! That is the honest truth. I have some lovely days, and then some not so good days, but the better days are getting to be more.

Keep the faith!

 

Thanks Teri. Tomorrow will be a better day! I keep saying to myself this will get better.

 

Hugs to you, @Mam1526. That's the deal with tinnitus... you have good days, a few more good days and then suddenly -- bummer, a real bad day. You start thinking: Will I ever get better? Why am I not making any progress? But the thing is, you are making progress. You just don't notice it because its happening bit by bit, day by day.

It's like watching a baby grow. You see the baby all the time so you don't he/she is growing until one day, wow, you have a teenager.

You are doing VERY well for someone only a month into tinnitus. My guess is that you will discover your bad days will get fewer and fewer, although every now and then, one will pop up and annoy you. But it just makes the good days that much sweeter.

And let's face it: Even without tinnitus, we all have good days and bad days. One thing my tinnitus has taught me is: appreciate the good times.

 

Thanks @LadyDi. I love the positivity in your posts. This is the stuff that keeps me going.

 

Thanks, @washashore, what a nice thing to say.

 

You're doing very well. When I was in my 4th week I was a mess! Try to do some deep breathing--breath in through your nose, letting your tummy expand, and then exhale slowly through your mouth. It will help your anxiety. If you have iTunes look up "Journey into Relaxation" by Yasmine Buraik, if not, here's a link:

https://sites.google.com/site/yasmineburaik1/

Soft Belly mediation is deep breathing. I also love Relaxation Room, Autogenic Relaxation, Progressive Relaxation and Place of Bliss. I never did anything like this before my T but I was willing to try anything and it really helped me. Now it's part of my day.

Are you doing any masking while you relax/sleep?

White Noise : 9 Hour Long Tinnitus Masking

Be gentle with yourself and don't be afraid to ask if you have any questions.

hugs ((((Mam1526))))

 

Thanks for responding Kathi
I do use masking if I can't fall asleep. White noise seems to work. I listen to nature music during the day for partially masking my T. Thank god for iPhones. I'm trying to habituate myself . Just trying to stay positive about it but having a bad day takes the wind out of my sails. Hearing from others I now realize you'll have some bad days.

 

Thanks LadyDi, I guess I should not forget about my good days. It is progress!

 

Mam1526
Welcome to the site! I remember my first weeks; I thought there was no hope. Trust me, there is much hope (indeed). I agree with @billie48; if you are already having good days, then you will do fine. Right now your brain is stuck in fight/flight mode (very high anxiety -- running wild) because it is freaked out about this strange noise (thinks it is something dangerous); just keep reminding yourself there is no danger, it's just a noise (I know, at the beginning this is easier said then done -- just a goal to work toward). Then you can get on with accepting the idea of T and learning not to react to it (that is habituation). Just like @LadyDi says, some days are good and some are bad (that's for sure); try not to sweat the bad days, just know that good days are right around the corner.

Mark