Finally, People Who Can Help Me...

I finally finally have an appt with someone at the T clinic in San Francisco in 2 weeks. From there we can discuss a plan of action for me and figure out which tools I can use to help me habituate. And tomorrow I'm going to speak with a counselor about my other emotional issues I am going through right now. I'm finally on the path to discovering how to cope with T.

I'm happy that I'm finally getting the help I need but I am nervous too. I've been told that any kind of therapy I undergo will be tough and challenging emotionally. That makes me very nervous because it sounds like I have to suffer just a bit more to be on my way to becoming happy and I don't know how I'm gonna react to that. Any thoughts? Suggestions? Encouragement?

Have any of you guys gone through any kind of therapy before? How did it go for you and what can I expect?

 

I have done about 12-15 hypnotherapy sessions spread over 3 years (if I recall correctly). I was with three different therapists during that period. It worked great. Essentially I showed up at the therapist's clinic with one problem - which led to another, and then another, and so on. Essentially, the therapists changed my negative thought patterns (something many people have to a certain degree). They helped me focus on all the things that are possible (instead of all the things that are not possible). This has - over time - had a profound effect on my problem solving ability and the way I approach things in life. There is basically no (mental) limits to the goals I can and which I am willing to set for myself - be it career goals or attempting an ultra-marathon, or whatever it may be...

 

@attheedgeofscience Did you ever try hypnotherapy for tinnitus? There's been a few studies on it. I'm not sure if it helps lower the volume, reduces annoyance, or both. I've been interested in hypnotherapy; the only problem is finding a competent therapist.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22545384

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19205165
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@derpytia Therapies like CBT, TRT, and mindfulness are all effective for tinnitus distress. Facing your fear and anxiety towards tinnitus may be challenging--but the end result should be relief. It's a sacrifice worth making. If you don't confront your fears, it will be impossible for you to habituate.

All people who've habituated will attest to overcoming their fears. It is a sine qua non for habituation. And so having a little more discomfort--which will be short-term and will alleviate your tinnitus--is positive. Your focus should be on becoming whole again, even if some discomfort occurs while healing.

 

@derpytia Great news.
May I ask which clinic in San Francisco?
Would be very helpful to know. I'm in that area.
Thanks.
LIsa

 

I have...

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hypnotherapy.4386/

Unfortunately, I am rather critical of psychological therapies in the broader sense when it comes to tinnitus, as you will see in my posts in the above thread (which is why I had hoped you wouldn't have asked - at least not in this particular thread...). To go for psychotherapy (of one form or another) for a condition like tinnitus is equivalent to a doctor referring a patient with an ingrown toenail to a psychologist (ie. there is no link between "disease" and "remedy").

But my views should not get in the way of others who want to go down that route. And to add some balance to the equation, I would like to point out something Dr. Gans wrote in one of her posts:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...rse-university-of-iowa.4925/page-2#post-52866

This is the first decent explantion of psychotherapy's role in the treatment of tinnitus I have (ever) seen.

I should also mention that, as someone who has had tinnitus all my life, 100% habituation is actually possible. Because I have had tinnitus since "forever", it has always been "normal" to me. But, I simply don't believe that kind of habituation is possible with tinnitus which is acquired later on in life. But, I hope that there are professionals out there who can prove me wrong. And as I have said many times before, always choose action over inaction.

 

@attheedgeofscience 100% habituation with T acquired later in life is absolutely possible and do-able. I was 100% habituated for 7 years before I took these damned meds back in May. My T was mild but always there. I spent years -litteraly- never paying attention to my T, never listening to it and never hearing it. It was there of course but my brain paid no attention to it and it did fade out in the background and I never felt threatened by it.

Now that my T is louder and can be heard above almost everything + varies in pitch/tone/intensity/volume whatever, on a daily basis, I find it much harder to habituate, althought I am able to spend hours not thinking about it (but not days).

 

Hi @derpytia: I am SO glad you are getting the help you need. You sound like you are totally on the right path: a clinic where they will help you with the hearing/auditory system part of your tinnitus, and therapy that will help you with the anxiety (and, sometimes, depression as well) that comes with T. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was hands down the best thing I did for myself in my early days. It guided me to the skills needed to calm my anxiety so I could deal with my tinnitus. Like ATEOS said: Therapy teaches you how deal with negative thought problems, which comes in handy in many areas of life. That, in turn, can help you calm your automatic limbic nervous system, which is in hyperdrive right now due to the "sound" your own brain is making.

My advice regarding therapy:

* It would be nice to get someone specializing in tinnitus, but they are few and far between. If not, ask your therapist how much experience he/she has with T patients. Many long-time CBT therapists will have encountered people with tinnitus, as anxiety is such a common response -- and they help people with anxiety.

* Be patient. You will not see results over night. But I believe you WILL see results. Don't get discouraged and stay positive. Remind yourself you are on a journey to healing and like all journeys, you won't arrive at your destination immediately.

* Your therapists probably will give you techniques to practice on your own, exercises to do at home. Do them! Like many things in life, retraining your thought patterns takes practice.

To respectfully disagree with ATEOS: I do think psychotherapy has a role in tinnitus treatment. But I think it is something you do in conjunction with other therapies focusing on the neurological/ear/brain component of the disorder, and is not nearly as effective on its own. Therapy also can get you over the anxiety hump -- which is critical for allowing you to move on to tackling the tinnitus problem.

I am glad ATEOS referred to Dr. Gans post. You also can read Dr. Hubbard's answer to my question on if doing Mindfulness therapy is helpful after you already have "graduated" from CBT. I plan to try Mindfulness, if I can find a good practitioner, later this year. It is similar to CBT, but not exactly the same.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/mindfulness-post-cbt.5598/

Hypnotherapy and biofeedback also have been used to treat reactions to tinnitus.

I will say with all therapies: Beware of quacks. There are "professionals" out there with no expertise ready to cash in on your misery. If you sense your therapist doesn't know what he/she is talking about, go find another. Also, your clinic may be able to recommend someone.

You are on your way! Good luck!

 

I can only speak for myself, of course, but for me, meeting with my therapist was straightforward. I pretty much just told her: I have problem X, Y, and Z - so now what do we do? Not much different than going to the doctor, pulling down the pants, and pointing at a specific place while saying: "please fix"...

I did not find it emotionally challenging in any way (at least not in a bad way). I think my therapist - at times - found it more challenging than me.

I always looked forward to my sessions. That's how I remember it.

I recommend anyone to visit a therapist at some point in their lives - they can bring the best forward in people.

I believe gender can play a role. I believe female therapists are better than male ones. Males make excellent coaches - eg. coaches in business, such as "how to become a better manager". That sort of thing. But I don't believe males are good in the therapist role. Something to think about.

 

I am thus far happy with the CBT therapy I am currently receiving. My therapist has T and understands the struggle. He also has chronic back pain and has had great success with Mindfulness meditation. He is teaching me breathing and body scan meditations. He stated it took him about 6 months of practice to see some good outcomes. That is why I am making sure I practice every day and follow the plan and/or homework that he gives to me.

Side note: I "shopped" around for a good therapist in my town...I did not click with the first therapist but I do with the current one. Make sure that when you schedule your first visit that you would like a "free" consultation so that you can determine if you will respond to their approach...that is what I did.

 

@derpytia: very proud of you for taking these steps forward. I was worried about you last week but you have proven to be strong and brave and I'm wishing you success on this journey.

 

Hi @derpytia I remember our T started around the same time and you gave me some encouraging words as i was distraught... Now its my turn to comfort you. i can Honestly say even though i have only had T for around 3 months i can see a huge difference in me, i feel normal again. The T is still there but it honestly doesn't bother me any more, i never really think about it unless its DEAD silent, ive been going out having fun, drinks, parties, races you name it. I honestly can say i feel fine again. I have had 1 bad day in the last month but honestly i think every female gets their bad days.

You will get there, you just have to plunge yourself back into life. Please feel free to Skype me or message me if you cant some comfort. its so hard to put into words just how much better i feel when the T is still the same.


xxxxx

 

Very good advice, @Teri. You should indeed check out therapists and find one that fits -- and also who knows what he/she is doing. Even better to negotiate a free first session. I knew the first "tinnitus expert" CBT therapist I tried (recommended to me by an audiologist, no less) was a fraud 10 minutes into our first and last session. He gave me a first session "trial rate" of $175 -- I should have been smarter but was early into T and desperate. At least all I lost was the $175.

So glad you and @caffclifton are doing so well! Hope you guys will stick around for a bit and keep advising/inspiring the newbies. We need you!

 

[QUOTE="LadyDi, post: 60342, So glad@caffclifton are doing so well! Hope you guys will stick around for a bit and keep advising/inspiring the newbies. We need you![/QUOTE]

I definatly will x