Do You Believe in God/a Higher Power? Does Prayer Help You Cope?

I believe in God. I used to ask God why I got tinnitus. Now I feel prayer/my relationship with God makes it easier to cope with T. I do also do more "practical" things like go to the ent, schedule tests, consider hearing aids if needed or tinnitus retraining.

 

I don't believe in God - so no.

Glad you have something that helps you Emma.

 

I wondered whether there would be many responses too Markku. It's also the type of question where I felt that I wanted to write so much more, include portions of the conflict thesis etc. etc.... but the thread would have then changed to a discussion of religion! My parents were both Church of England church wardens and my mother still has a strong belief in God. To add just a little to my response... not believing in God doesn't mean that I don't believe that there is necessarily something 'out there' but I don't believe praying to 'it' would help at all.

(I'm sure there are a few double negatives in this reply - apologies to all but I haven't got time to change it ... too much work to do !)

 

I remember reading an article about prayer. People who genuinely believe in God can greatly benefit from prayers - it helps them focus, lowers anxiety, blood pressure and even releases endorphins.

I was born in a very religious family and I used to be religious myself until I was around 16... Too many bad things have happened at the same time. As I grew older I had more and more questions which were left unanswered (why does God allow bad things to happen etc.). Nowadays, I really wish God existed, but I am afraid he might not.

Maybe he is screaming in my ears to prove me wrong...

 

Thanks Emma for posting, I also believe in God. I believe God will help us through this, whether it is a cure or to manage it. I love working with kids at church and right now it is hard to do that with the noise levels. I am also co-director for a summer camp called Seeds Of Faith that is dedicated to abuse and neglect kids. It is a weeklong camp where kids come to be a kid and feel safe and secure. We have a lot of events, gifts, good food, and fun. I can’t imagine God is not going to allow me to go to camp to help his children.
I had a rough day Wednesday night and asked God to help me, the last two days have been better. I believe he hears us and help us when we ask for it. Some people believe and some don’t but I will continue to believe in Him and praise Him for all he gives me and does for me.

 

Helping others even during difficult times has always made me feel better. It is comforting to know that even while I am suffering, I can help make someone else be happy.

 

i am not religious and do not believe in any God or deity.

 

I absolutely believe in God and pray probably more than he, she it, cares to hear from me - long before I got T. It helps me through everyday of my life to hand off some of my fears and ask for strength to keep moving on. T to me is just another of life's struggles. There have been nights when I have asked God to take my T for the night, and I will take it back in the morning just to get some sleep. Not that I want it back, but I will take it if I have to. I have prayed a lot for healing and to be whole again, for me and for all of you!

I don't wear religion on my sleeve. It is a very personal thing to each individual, and does not help some people. Prayer is greatly comforting to me without all of the answers that go with it. That is why it is called faith.

TTFN!

 

There was a flood rising in a town, so a boat came up to a house to fetch the man and he said, "Go ahead, God will save me", the flood waters continue to rise and the man was in his roof and another boat came still he said "go ahead, God will save me" then when it was really almost covering the house a Helicopter came he waved them off saying " God will save me"...so he drowned...when he saw God the man was so distressed asking God "Why didn't you save me?" God replied.."are you kidding me? I sent 2 boats and a helicopter!!!"

This is my T story...When I got my T I started to blame God as well...then I remembered that during my 2 years of running daily and listening to very loud music on my headphones, my mother has mentioned that I need to be careful with my ears, several times my wife would talked to me and I can't hear her and she would admonished me saying I'm listening to my music too loud, once or twice some friends of mine has ask me if I can hear the traffic when I run and I answered with a smile saying "NO", they told me I AM listening too loud.

Then BAAM, T came and now I realized that God didn't do this to me...I did this to myself, so I pray for strength to be able to adapt and habituate to this, I still get bothered by my T but not to the extent like it was 2-3 months before, I turned 6 months of having T last Feb 1...I still get spikes when I accidentally get exposed to loud noises but I am coping...I used to be here and in other similar forums 24/7 but lately I tried to keep away but do lurk from time to time and post if I get into trouble! LOL....this site has tremendously helped me and it will be a part of me in my journey with T through life which , for me is just beginning.

 

Tinnitus is scary in that modern medicine still has no real answers. Healing has to come from within. A relationship with God certainly makes it easier to cope. The act of prayers and bonding with God makes one feel less desolate.

Since I have the T, I've become more needy and feel better with family and friends around me. Now prefer to sleep with people around, and with lights on as well. Naturally, I needed God in my life as well. Used to love being alone, so this is a drastic change, wonder if it's depression of sorts.

 

I believe that most people who question the underlying dogmas of the world's major religions learn to keep their opinions to themselves rather than offend those finding comfort in defending faith over fact, regardless of whether those facts contradict directly with the underlying basis for the belief. Defining oneself as agnostic or agnostic-leaning is not only more socially acceptable but gives a person an out - "I'm just not sure...," and with this out prevents arguement and antagonism related to the many blatant myths associated with each and every one of the world's organized religions.

Religion can and does have some real social benefit. Unfortunately, abuse of such has proven itself over the centuries to be a very dangerous thing.

 

Paul D has captured my feeling. John Lennon, too.

Excellent question. I was raised by a very religious mother from TV Evangelican Oklahoma, force fed religion since I was a kid. None of those lessons stuck with me. "Loving our fellow man" is the one rule that sums up what I think is important.

Prayer does not fit into my way of thinking. However, I must admit that sometimes things have worked out for the best in ways that are hard to explain. I have been fortunate in many ways for which I am grateful.

Heck, just last year I stopped a young man from getting hit by a bus!

My issues with religion are about authority. Many people have lived before us, and they wrote a lot of dogmatic "Thou Shall Not Mess With" rules. That's the part that bugs me, the "Don't cross this line" part. Also, I just can't connect with the old stories. Instead of religion, I'm a science guy (...and a Star Trek guy).

Whether you go to church or not, life is something to be thankful for.

 

I really am enjoying seeing everyone's perspective on religion. Glad we can discuss a topic so respectfully. I've seen religious topics spiral into flame wars on other websites.

 

Even if God exists, it's mainly your business how you cope with T psychically. Nuff said.

 

Karen that is beautiful....what a comfort. X

 

Yes!!! I believe in God! I know that He is the one who gives me grace and strength for each day to bear T. His grace is sufficient for me.... good and bad days. I pray constantly for a cure. I pray for all the ongoing trials. That God almighty may give the scientists' involved the knowledge to cure this monster. I pray for special blessings for all those people that are pushing for a cure and those dare devils that partake in the trials and put their health on the line just to get a cure for them and all of us. I thank God for all TT staff and pray that their efforts, hard work and perseverance may continue and one day they can post on the top of this page " THEY FOUND THE CURE FOR T!!!!!!" I pray for every single T sufferer out there that God may give them healing, peace, comfort, help them cope and habituate and just to give them back their joy.

Prayer gives me peace, comfort. I cling to my faith in God like is the best medicine I can take. I believe God gave me back my life... he gave me back the joy I lost those first 6 months with T. With ups and downs I continue living. I have read a lot of negative post here on TT about God and our faith in him and such.... It is sad to belittle someone or mock them because of their belies or faith. I do not attack anyone who tells me that they put their faith on chiropractic or a certain tea, autifony, or even on stem cells... whatever it is.... I just try to support them and cheer them up as best as I can. We are all in this together! Whatever works for you and gives you peace then AMEN to that! Rejoice with those that rejoice and cry with those that cry! That's what some of us are here for! Some have even said that religion should be band from this forum..well if that is the case then I will be out. Because my faith in my God is what I treasure and has given me peace to cope with this affliction. It is what works for me. Have a blessed day.

 

I'm not Christian, but I do believe in God. For me, prayer helps, a lot. It makes me feel better. Sometimes after praying my T goes away for a while too. Maybe God is listening, and He wants me to be closer to Him through this. Now all I can pray and hope for is that it goes away forever. No matter what we believe in, prayer, or at least hope, helps.

 

The pure fact is, we don't have clue if God exists or not? There are countless religions, beliefs and theories. Who's right, who's wrong? Man has spent centuries, debating and creating the existence of God. Wars have killed millions, in defense of religious beliefs and we still don't know if God exists or not?

Believe in yourself and trust your instincts. Do what feels right for you. If prayer works for you, pray. If it doesn't, don't. The choice is yours.

 

Lapsed Catholic here, with near-fanatical religious parents. I am a nonbeliever in the theory of a heaven-dwelling entity that knows every hair on my head, and when the sparrow falls.

I do believe there was a historical Jesus. My perception of him is that he was a master teacher, a charismatic mystic with esoteric knowledge, someone whose abilities convinced not only himself but those around him that he was the son of God. For the most part, I like what Jesus had to say, if in fact he was quoted accurately.

 

I meditate. My belief is that this is probably hitting some of the same neurological buttons as prayer.

I guess I mostly reserve prayer for my other health problems which are more serious than my 14khz dog-whistling friend. I also don't believe in a God that's a separate, disparate entity from the rest of creation, but that's neither here nor there.

 

I believe in God and I do pray and I find that praying or 'talking' to God does help at least a little bit. Of course I always have the same questions as everyone else, believer or not. "Why do bad things happen to good people?" "Why did I get T?" "Why doesn't God heal me?" The usual bit. Of course I've gotten no real answer that has sat well with me or has explained anything.

The best i can come up with at the moment is that before T I was a good and kind person but I was also a very slothful, greedy, and occasionally careless person. I was slowly falling away from God and the church and when I got warnings about my health and ears ahead of time, I either didn't really pay attention to them or didn't listen entirely. I spent my days wanting to have fun and for others to have fun with me more than the more important things in life.

Of course when I got T all of that changed. A lot. I'm still me. But I think I'm a bit more sober-minded now. I pay more attention to the little things and I've learned to slow down and take it easy (sometimes because I have no choice). And I've also rekindled my relationship with God.

So sometimes I think God allowed me to get T because he wanted me to shut up and pay attention. A really unfair sounding answer and I question the fairness of a tactic like that all the time but it's the only one I can think of. Sure life is not as enjoyable as it was before, sometimes it is downright awful and seemingly not worth living. But I pray a lot and sometimes it does make me feel a lot better because I believe someone is listening and someone is helping at least a little. Maybe not in the way I would like but it is still help.

 

I believe in God the Father and the Savior Jesus Christ. I believe that we are all children of God here on earth to learn and grow amid challenges and pains of sufferings. There is no free ticket here in our mortality as Satan can reign in our lives to create havoc & sufferings. This is like our parenthood. We let our kids out of our homes, knowing they may have to face risks and challenges, yet they need to be on their own to learn and to have the free agency to act in order to grow. They will make mistakes in the process and get hurt even with our best intention.

I believe Christ atoned for all mankind and His selfless compassionate service to the sick and needy and praying for those who nailed Him to the cross is a sublime divine quality that we mortals can only feebly and inadequately emulate at times, such as helping out the desperate calls for help from new T sufferers here while we have so many other concerns and personal matters to attend to ourselves. This, my friends, is personal growth while we are journeying through the 'hell of T'. There is positivity even in this 'T hell' if we have the right attitude to face it. The subtle change in our personal attribute towards more humanitarian oriented is something we may not be aware of, but positively understand that when you reach out to those in despair while you yourself is sick and afflicted, it is the highest form of life's self-fulfillment in the hierarchy of human needs. We are there doing and living it. We should be proud of ourselves that we turn something so 'ugly & low' into something so 'beautiful & high' up there in our existence.

That is why the richest people out there, after attaining ultimate financial success, are reaching out to others in making a difference. They want to live the highest form of human existence by making a difference. Bless them for their generosity. They do it remotely by giving money (which is merely a meaningless figure to them when you have billions and billions), while we do it by helping those in needs directly with out time and heart, and actually risking the flaring up of our own T and paying a price ourselves with spikes (by being constantly reminded about T). We are doing a noble job to help total strangers with some degree of personal risk to our T. Yet we persist on because you and I care. We have slowly but surely acquired a divine quality whether you know it or not, and it is of the highest hierarchy of human needs. May the Almighty God bless you all, if not this life, but the life to come for your wonderful selfless service to humanity. My humble 2 cents on this subject. Amen.

 

I am pretty new to (loud) T but it is pretty bad and nearly unmaskable (15k - 16k hz with a little H thrown in I'm finding). I am having an awful time with it and my own stress/anxiety which was going before this summer pretty bad (midlife/work/etc). I have only minor hearing loss so....???

Last year I prayed to be changed because I knew I wasn't living right and had drifted far far into the world and didn't know what I was doing there or how to get back. It was a short but desperate prayer. I had fallen away and felt empty inside. A long time ago when I went though a rough spell in life I fell on the Church and ran to God and Jesus. At the time all I wanted to do was humanitarian work. This time I am doing the same thing and am feeling he same thing except ten times more because of the suffering of the Neighbor (T). I am finding all around me spiritual cues all the time, but I keep focusing on the noise and freaking out. When I study or listen to sermons etc I find that I don't care about the T so much (and it can be quite loud). Things come on the radio or are happening that are so peculiar and coincidental it is hard to ignore. There is too much synchronicity to it to not mean something. At first I thought that my T was my punishment or the only way I would get straightened out somehow.. but I'm seeing, slowly, that this is not the case. Suffering is mercy to an extent because it allows us to get right, I think. I do fear god but I always have but have always loved him also even when I was screwing up.. It's taken age and this T to make me realize what my core is and get back to it. The T is awful, and it makes me cry and worry about the future and my wife and everything else, but... this passes with time so everyone says.

One of the things I learned that can help you sleep or quiet your mind is to start prayer and just begin blessing people in your life by name and run through them all. Add why you are blessing them. Sometimes it is still hard though.. but I'm still new. I am still freaking out about and worked up about the noise quite a lot and am looking at so many therapies. I seem to constantly be upset by it with moments of ups ("I got this!") to crashing. Right now I do this probably a couple dozen times a day... but in the background there is quiet presence of calm deep deep deep down and this is God.

William Shatner said one of the most terrifying things about T is that it continually reminds us of our own mortality. I think that that is true especially in the beginning. That is one of the reasons it freaks us out emotionally completely instead of just being annoying. This sound will likely not end until we're dead. It is hard for me to even type that here. But if I can learn to live with it or to not care about it... it will have been worth it. T is peeling back all the layers I had built up and exposing the core. I find all I have is love there and that part feels good. I am just in despair with it as well. Still, we are still fortunate to live in this time period. We can communicate like this, we have masking technologies, all kinds of creature comforts that people in the past did not have with this. At the least people know T is a thing instead of dismissing it as something else.

I, personally, would like to thank all who have helped me especially those with T. I know that it is a risk to be reminded of it and it would be easier to just walk away if you've gotten over it. I only hope that one day I can help someone new to it as people have helped me. That is another fantasy I have.

 

I've prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed. No help.

 

@I who love music,

If you've been praying for T to go away for 40 years and have recieved zero help, we're all in trouble! Maybe switch from God A, to God B? };-)

 

Tried that too. To no avail. Maybe God gave me T so I could come here and spread the BTS method around. ??
But if I were a god, I wouldn't have invented T in the first place.

 

God works in mysterious way. Perhaps it was the Devil who invented all the miserable diseases and God and the angels are putting off the fire. No one knows for sure. Come to think about it, IWLM's BTS method is so appealing and powerfully attractive to whom ever reading his post is really because of the '40 years of bad T and now back to silence'. LOL. Like if you take away the 40 years and say just a year or a few months, your method and your message might not have so much readership and therefore not able to help so many struggling people. You had paid the price of the '40' years for the benefits of the T sufferers at large in an indirect way. You are now reaching out to strangers all over the world to help them out of their 'hell' of T. Now that is quite a fulfilling life in anyone's book. Buddhists have a saying, 'If I have to live through hell to save others , so be it'. Christ's atonement and subsequent crucifying on the cross for mankind is the ultimate example of that. In a small way, that is really what you had done. Congrats. Not just IWLM, all those who have or are going through hell with T and now are reaching out to help strangers compassionately are doing the same thing - you paid the ultimate sacrifice, and now you turn that darkness into light, weakness into strength, and you are turning your hellish T experience into something quite powerful.

 

Yes I do believe in God ,look at the world , the universe how everything is put together there is clearly created by someone with great art