Happy to Join This Big Community, Yet Sorry to See It This Big

It's been a long time since the last time I spent the whole night surfing the internet to read tinnitus stories.

I think I got my tinnitus because of stress, in March 2012 I had an incredibly stressing time. That stress led me to depression and degenerated into agoraphobia. Now I'm fine under that aspect as I'm psychologically stable, yet my tinnitus is still here. I usually notice it every night, but I don't pay too much attention to it, but in the last three nights it is driving me crazy, it's louder than ever for no apparent reason.

I am sad to tears and not looking for answers -- there are none -- just wanted to shout out.

Please fix the mobile version of this forum, I'm really having a bad time writing this post.


L.

 

Don't panic L. Welcome to the forum. We are here and we understand what you are going through because we were where you are now. T is known to have spikes and setbacks. Spikes often will return to base line. You need to examine what you did in the last week or so that may trigger this spike. Any new medicines, new foods (MSG, caffeine, alcohol etc, stress increase, medical/health issues, etc etc.? Go to check up with your ENT to see if there is infection or other underlying issue with your ears.

In the meantime, try to read up something uplifting such as the success stories and the Positivity thread at the top of the Support Forum. You can check out mine so you know I was also like you in a dark place a few years ago. But I am not alone. In the success story forum there are many people getting better after some time and some treatment. So read them up too and don't be too stress out and give yourself lots of hope.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...w-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

Right now with the traumatic reaction to T, your brain is under the control of the limbic system, and it functions in 'fight or flight' mode which tends to make you think that things are much worse than they are. Beware of many distorted thoughts at this stage. These are cognitive distortions as in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Don’t believe in these distorted thoughts, which can lead you to think that T is a catastrophe. T is not a catastrophe. It can fade away or if it stays, it is livable and many people prove that in the success stories, myself included.

You can also try to get some masking going so you won't be so anxious of the T sound. I used a PC download with a free sound generator called 'aire freshener'. This way I can work while listening to masking sounds. You can download it here:
http://www.peterhirschberg.com/mysoftware.html

If you have smart phone, there are free APPs out there too. I used an ipod download with nature sounds (bought from Amazon.com) by using the itune software. This gave me mobile masking when I needed it most during the start. You can also buy a sound machine or sound pillow for masking at bed time.

Also, if you are too depressed and anxious, please talk to your doctor to get some medicines to help you to cut off the sharp edges of the extreme emotions. As far as treatments, you may want to consider CBT or TRT and you can ask the doctors at the Doctor's Corner here on TT. Dr. Nagler is a TRT expert, and Dr. Hubbrad is on CBT. There are many things one can do to help get better. So don't panic. Take good care and God bless.