How Do You Know Exactly When You Have Habituated?

[RonnieCarzatto]

Hi all, asking a question (or a few) about the habituation process. Just to preface, I hope this doesn't come across as me trying to set some kind of timeline or anything like that, comparing habituation time to others, etc.. I know it doesn't work that way.

It's been about two months since my T began. To say it's been an awful, horrendous rollercoaster would be an understatement, but I know all T sufferers on this forum know that. Many weeks ago I made a conscious effort to approach this in the most (relatively) positive way possible. I could only pity myself for so long, still had my hearing intact too. I've been working on that "back to silence" method found on this forum, probably the biggest help so far. I knew I had to start making peace with my T, since traditional western medicine/ENTs/etc. isn't going to do anything for T sufferers. Thanks to a sound machine, I've been getting regular sleep again (I am terrified to sleep without it on though). During the day, unless I am in total silence, T doesn't bother me at all. My question, how do you know exactly when you have habituated? Could it be argued that these are the (very slow) beginning stages?

Habituation seems to be the only goal that I want to focus on now, and yet, the irony of it all is that I know to achieve that, I have to NOT focus on the T...

Any insight would be welcome, thank you all for your time.

 

[Ed209]

Hi all, asking a question (or a few) about the habituation process. Just to preface, I hope this doesn't come across as me trying to set some kind of timeline or anything like that, comparing habituation time to others, etc.. I know it doesn't work that way.

It's been about two months since my T began. To say it's been an awful, horrendous rollercoaster would be an understatement, but I know all T sufferers on this forum know that. Many weeks ago I made a conscious effort to approach this in the most (relatively) positive way possible. I could only pity myself for so long, still had my hearing intact too. I've been working on that "back to silence" method found on this forum, probably the biggest help so far. I knew I had to start making peace with my T, since traditional western medicine/ENTs/etc. isn't going to do anything for T sufferers. Thanks to a sound machine, I've been getting regular sleep again (I am terrified to sleep without it on though). During the day, unless I am in total silence, T doesn't bother me at all. My question, how do you know exactly when you have habituated? Could it be argued that these are the (very slow) beginning stages?

Habituation seems to be the only goal that I want to focus on now, and yet, the irony of it all is that I know to achieve that, I have to NOT focus on the T...

Any insight would be welcome, thank you all for your time.

Stay off the Internet for a while, and dedicate yourself to something that highly motivates and interests you. And I mean really throw yourself into it. Don't read or talk about T at all; not even a little bit.

Keep yourself fit and active, get in touch with old friends, or just ring your current ones and go out places. Go to some national parks and just breathe in the beauty, and appreciate all that you have. Have as much fun as you can.

You'll be creating so many good times and memories that you'll forget T was ever an issue. The roadblock to doing all this is usually anxiety or depression, so you may need to get this under control first. But, if you have a fighting spirit, doing all the things I said can certainly help lift the dark cloud of depression in its own right. The hardest part is getting your ass off the sofa to seize the day at every opportunity.

With all this said, I'll conclude that T becomes a problem when you allow it to. It's easy to emotionally let it take control, and before you know it, you're investing energy thinking, worrying, and fearing it. Break the cycle and free your emotions away from it completely.

 

[RonnieCarzatto]

Ed209- you are a saint sir, and I appreciate your insight. Some of the best advice I've read yet.

Exactly what I needed to read.

I'll be off the internet for awhile methinks.

Cheers.

 

[LukeYoung]

I used to use masking for sleep in the early weeks. But I don't really need to now, my fan is enough and I've always slept with a fan on.

You know when you've habituated, because T no longer bothers you, I mean it's there and it can be annoying, but you no longer care and your brain puts it on the back burner.

Of course we have our bad days but yeah in general that's when you would say you've habituated.

 

[Mentos]

I would say you reach habituation when:
1) T no longer dictates what you do or think about during the day
b) you do not react emotionally when you hear T
c) You do not check whether T is still there or not, you do not "seek for it"
d) you do not feel depressed with a thought that T is here to stay and may stay till the end of your life

I reached half of point a) (T does not dictate what I do during the day but I still think way too much about it) and point b) in 80% which means I usually control my emotional reaction to T and don't panic, it "only" annoys me. Unfortunately I still can't refrain from c) checking if it's there in silence and if I can stay calm with it and d) I still feel a bit depressed, down and anxious about lost silence and "life sentence".

What helps me is a day plan. A day before, especially if I'm not at work, I plan in details what I'm gonna do the next day. Be it outdoor activities or indoor activities or houshold things, no matter. Thanks to that I do not meet myself in a situation in the morning: "damn I hear T, what am I gonna do know?" but I have a plan for a day and I execute it (cycling, reading, watching sport events on TV, making puzzles, swimming, shopping, riding a motorcycle, whatever). In such case I have less time to dwell on T and more time for productive or enyojable things.