Does Everyone REALLY Get Used to This?

None of that says how long they have had it. Those are people that are burdened with it NOW.

 

For extreme cases (what yours sounds like) there are medications that can provide temporary relief, but with side effects (possibly long term side effects), and it's not a permanent solution.

For mild cases there's TRT, CBT, masking, staying off of tinnitustalk, etc.

 

Clearly I'm reading it differently from you.

 

does it really matter, guys?

your life wont be as good as it would have been without it. that's the harsh answer. 98% of people would prefer to live with T than be dead, so they adapt over time. it's that simple. the other minority either ends their life without dying or does what everything thinks about during the first few weeks.

 

The way habituation has been described to me is not that they would rather live with it than die. But that T becomes like how you can feel your knee if you think about it. And you don't think about when when you don't think about it.

 

@Marie79 I'm exaggerating for effect. Those who habituate, including Dr. Hubbard, have had to alter their lives - commonly dramatically.

I believe Dr. Hubbard that most still live a happy-ish life given enough time. That said he himself had to give up playing in his band though. For me, giving up live music has changed my life completely. It changed my social circle, and where I derive joy in my day. I also go many hours a day without thinking about my tinnitus already (and spend many hours a day on this site engaging it as well). I guess this is the early stages.

In the end, you'll be alright - because you have no other choice.

 

If you can go many hours without thinking about your tinnitus at only 3 months in, you're on a good path.

 

Yes those things I get. The constant misery of being freaked out and afraid by this noise is unbearable though.

 

Alue, I'm "fortunate" enough to have rather intermittent symptoms. I have had many days in a row at a 1-2/10 tops, multiple times. I'm also a heavy drinker. Low symptoms and hammered are a good combo for forgetting about this shit.

When I do have issues though - they're rather intense. Clearly today isn't one of those days where I can block it out - b/c I'm here pretty much all day today.

 

So, I would say my tinnitus ranges from mild-moderate and sometimes severe even. My tinnitus unfortunately fluctuates quote a bit each day and I usually have a few mild days followed by a moderate to severe volume day. During my mild days I can easily tune out my tinnitus when I'm doing other things and keeping busy. I can hear my mild t indoors but it gets overpowered by some exterior sounds. I cannot hear my mild t outside as much because of outdoor noises. I often wonder if electricity or computers makes my T worse as it's often most loud around electronics.

I can also tune out my mild and sometimes moderate t when I am engaged in a fun activity. My severe t, like today cannot be tuned out and is present indoors, outdoors, over music and over the television. there is no masking and my head hurts. I also suffer from an anxiety disorder and OCD which makes me think about and look for my T. I feel like each day is a new struggle. If it's mild I can totally function and have a good day and let it slip from my mind . When it's moderate and worse I can't and it's all consuming. It help me to stay busy..

I agree that anxiety disorders play a huge role in habituation and you need to manage your anxiety to see results on tinnitus habituation. I am breastfeeding so I cannot currently take medications to manage my anxiety but will be as soon as she's done nursing. I am also meeting with two audiologists this week to discuss TRT and other treatment options because I really struggle to get through some days.


My dad has constant tinnitus and has for over 30 years and he has habituated to it but it still bothers him on occasion. I think most people habituate to it and those of us who cannot and also suffer anxiety disorders must treat the anxiety first and foremost. That is where I'm at right now although I cope pretty well about 50%-75% of the time and have some really horrible days like today mixed in

 

Mine fluctuates constantly too :,(

 

How is Zoloft working for your OCD? I also have severe OCD that fluctuates and I will probably start taking something as soon as I finish nursing my daughter. My dr recommended Zoloft even now while nursing but I won't do it. Is it helping you overall?

 

You won't be freaked out and have anxiety about it forever. My t is loud as shit sometimes and I don't get anxiety from it anymore usually. I get irritated and sometimes angry or depressed. But I don't usually feel anxiety anymore. My fleeting T and pressure changes that happen sometimes every few days or sometimes multiple times a day give me anxiety during but it fades quickly. So that fight or flight response fades eventually. I've had it since late October of last year.

 

Mine unfortunately doesn't fluctuate that much. It's been 6-8/10 for the past 8 months.

 

@Alue - sorry to hear that. that's kinda high.

Lately, on average, my ringing has been pretty low volume. It does go up pretty high occasionally. I had some trigeminal nerve issues which were total hell but I seem to have found a resolution (still in PT for that). What I'm left with almost sounds like ball bearings (think the noise that comes from a bicycle when you're not pedaling) that sits somewhere in my forehead / left temple. It's obnoxious, but I can sleep and work again.

The first month or two for me were a hell I could never imagine. I had gaze induced issues, wherein the direction I focused my eyes changed the pitch of my very loud T - which I could hear over my AC, TV, Washer, Dryer, and Dishwasher running all at once in my tiny NYC apartment. (all of this sits well above 80db). By contrast anything seems mild.

 

Mine also fluctuates. Not as severe BUT my biggest challenge is panicking when it does go up. I go into a severe panic mode thinking it will be like this and it's consistently going to get worse. How you cope with that?

 

@Natalie Roberts Im one month in with Zoloft and it help my OCD quite a bit. Im mentally less in pain so Im a little more free of compulsions but far from totally. The best thing I find that help is that my T doesnt make me miserable/depress like before, Im more hardened to it
Sorry I dont find the exact word to express exactly my mind cause Im french
Luckely I understand very well

 

(Off the top of my head, so this will be wretched): Ton anglais est tres beaucoup; ma francais est mal. Ca va?

 

I think Natalie Roberts has me blocked? I wonder what I said.

@Marie79 I've gotten extremely depressed when it returned hard after long periods of a break. Many of the times I thought I was going to get lucky and have it actually resolve. As I approach 4 months I've become more accepting of my fate.

That said - my ear still aches all the time, ringing or not. It's annoying as all hell.

 

I am so sorry. that is awful.

 

@linearb ahah oui je vais bien et toi? ton francais n'est pas parfait mais j'apprecis l'effort

I think that french is an unecessary too complicated langage, there is a lot details that dont make sense ahah and exceptions in rules, i like the simplicity of english its more up front
But there is more layers and variations of word in french
Im also from quebec so we have our proper distorted french ahah
I like our swear words tho they can be change as a noun, pronoun, verb or adjective
They are the objects you find in church ahah
Exemple : Mon ostie de tabarnaque ma christement t'en calisser une.
Much more variations than f*ck, b*tch and sh*t!

 

Yeah, that was quite poor French indeed... but A for effort!

 

Not everyone does, some times you need to kill yourself to feel better

It's fantasy to think everyone could cope with EEEEEEEEEEEWOOSHWOOSHPFFFSASSSSHSHSSHHS

 

I just take big deep breaths when it gets really loud and try to go to a quieter place or distract myself and keep busy . I don't get as anxious as before just down a lot of the time :,(

 

I do not have you blocked at all.. I see your posts. My ears hurt a lot of the time too .

 

This is probably what I will end up taking when my baby is done, probably around 5 months from now if I can manage that long. This started when I was 7 months pregnant and have been able to hold off on medication since it started (in November) but I struggle still and will likely give in and take it. I have bad compulsions and obsessive thoughts which is unfortunate because I think it makes you focus more on your T itself instead of letting it slip into the background

 

Exactly, with OCD I find that its almost impossible to ignore the sound unfortunately.
Since I have it, its like no matter what compulsion I do there is always my T to remember me that something isnt right so it cause me a lot of distress
I simply cant fonction and am very angry and shame about it
I find that OCD and T are a f*cking bad combination

 

Derealization and T is a even worse combi

 

Well, I'm 7 month in and still always hoping.
On sunday I remember me having a good day and thinking maybe I'm lucky and it goes slowly away.
Today it's so bad again that I'm convinced to have to deal with this shit my whole life.

Do you have checked if there is a pattern in your ups and downs?

 

I do better when I've slept well. The rest is really hard to say.