Do Not Lose Faith...

I always dreamed of one day being able to write a message to help out others that may be losing hope or faith against their own personal struggles with Tinnitus. It's been ten years since my first encounter with tinnitus and through many ups and downs I am firmly able to admit and accept tinnitus as part of who I am. I wish I had done so sooner, I wish someone was able to convince me earlier. I wish that I hadn't been so stubborn and learned to cope instead of simply trying to "beat" tinnitus. I am here today writing this message in an effort to share my story of success to hopefully reach out those in need.

Every time you overcome a seemingly insurmountable battle, it gives you a bit more strength to cope and move on. Everyone has their own method of coping but to me Tinnitus is not something that you conquer or beat. Tinnitus is something that you come to terms with, it becomes part of who you are. It's like a scar on your arm that never in fact heals and you must come to terms with and accept as part of who you are. There is so much beauty in laughter, music, nature and listening to the voices of loved ones. I've learned to receive more calmness in these things than I was ever able to receive from what I used to call "silence".

I'll share an example...Friday at a Ludovico Einaudi concert in NYC I was able to really take a moment to reflect on my journey with tinnitus. The entire auditorium was completely and utterly "silent". As always with your battle with tinnitus you must come to terms that there will never again be the "silence" that many people are used to. I looked around at the 1,000+ people sitting in their own calmness that I was no longer able to hear. I have accepted this. The silence that I experienced the first 20 years of my life is no longer relevant. I have my own form of silence and enjoyed the concert just as much, if not more as everyone else in the auditorium. As the composer began to play the piano I was able to listen , now more than ever, to the beauty of his music. My appreciation for the strokes of the piano and strumming of the violin have reached new heights. Instead of finding peace in silence I now find a more heightened sense of calmness in the tranquility his music. This maturation and evolution did not come easy. Tinnitus caused my great pain in every aspect of my life because I was trying to conquer it instead of coping with it. My love life, my career and my own health. I am hear to tell you that the pain has subdued and my tinnitus now shares the same meaning as the scar on my back I received when I was 17. It hurt, it has healed and I will now always be a part of who I am.

This is just one example of many over the last few years but I wanted to share a story with you in case you're having one of those days where you're tired, frustrated, anxious and wondering where to turn next.

I hope that today marks the beginning of a new chapter. Do not give up and instead focus on continuing your own journey towards finding peace with tinnitus.

- John H.

PS...in case you wanted to listen, the track I was referring to above is Ludovico Einaudi " Experience". Enjoy....

 

And as Dr Nagler says "it doesn't matter if your tinnitus goes away fully or not, your life can be much better than the pre tinnitus life you had "

 

Thank you for sharing a success story.

 

Beautiful, @John Henderson
Thanks for sharing.
Teaches many of us who through t and h have moved away from sounds, that actually moving towards beautiful sounds can be even deeper.