I Hope This Helps At Least One Person

ok, so my tinnitus started almost 3 months ago. I am 15 years old. Like everyone else my first month really sucked and by the second month I was at least trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel. And I can honestly say that I have. I think I've lowered my T as well, or like a ton of others I just don't care about it anymore. Of course sometimes I get upset but I snap myself back to reality very quickly.
Right now I refuse to let myself suffer through this. I feel like my suffering is a choice and my T is a given. It was my fault I got T, it was noise induced. For a long time I struggled with that. In the span of one week I went from a student with a 4.0, involved with multiple clubs and sports, with tons of friends, in a engineering program with almost a guaranteed scholarship to the college I dreamed of going to since 9 to a girl I couldn't even recognize. My grades tanked, I couldn't enjoy the things I did before and I struggled to even look at my friends. By the end of the week I moved in with my parents, on the other side of the country. I was living alone for the past month and a half.
I was still in shock when I came out here. In fact I was one part sad and another just kinda mad. Not just at myself. I moved here almost 3 months ago but my parents didn't get me a ENT appointment until last Thursday. But I didn't go. I feel like I got over it on my own

So how did I get better?
- well I stopped making it my main focus. That seems impossible, but honestly don't force yourself into doing it. You'll do this on your own.
- I keep a journal. I write down every right and wrong thing about me that could never be too good or too bad and I work from there.
- Stop putting your own feelings behind everyone else's. I'm not saying be a jerk, but take a while to focus on your mental health and nothing else. That's where the journal helps. You are able to stump irrational thoughts and you can come up with counter arguments.
-Evaluate everything. Like your relationships. Look back and think of how some of them soured and some of them blossomed. And for the ones you ended ask why? That will help you get a sense of yourself and how you can improve.
- Treat yourself. Go and get ice cream with a friend or something, but keep moving forward.
- Set up goals. I know that I can't get through my day anymore without goals. These are the most important. They keep you busy and it's also a sense of stress reliever.
- PRAY!!!!! I'm not being one of those people that push religion on you, but try to do some mindful check ins. I know it helps when I can just ask someone (doesn't have to be god. You don't even have to practice religion) to intervene.
(Sorry for swearing) Don't get pissed and say some stupid crap like "if God loved us we wouldn't be going through these things" or "He never really helps". Cause no offense that's complete and utter bullshit. What ever problem you went through in the past you are here now. You wake up every morning and there are people that love and care about you. And if you can't see that, try to know that.
I've been working on a community project that I'm trying to get approved by board members in the city that I live in (Las Vegas). I'm trying to build a pipeline between the homeless and job opportunities. Trust me, because I've spoken to people and I've seen the tents that some of them live in along with their children, I know it could be worse. I know I was worried I could never be a teen or a young adult and I had to correct myself. I am so blessed. Think about the people in other countries that can't get education, that can't speak out about their political leaders without being threatened, the people that have none of the opportunities we have.

Complainers
"Did you know that every year millions of people die of dehydration? So it doesn't matter wether the cup is half full or half empty. Shut the hell up and drink that shit and stop complaining."
- Rudy Francisco
I recommend you watch it. It keeps me going whenever I start to feel the slightest bad about myself or my 'situation'. It's a 'situation' that no matter how bad it gets it could be worse. At least we're alive. We need to act like it.

I'm not trying to minimize the way others feel or how loud their T is. I'm trying to say regardless of the hurdle life is meant to be that way. In the poem Complainers Rudy also mentions 'Remember life is a gym membership with a really complicated cancellation policy. That in life things are meant to weigh you down and when you feel like you can't hold anymore, that's when you're able to hold your load. That you only get stronger and when more weight is added you may feel bad momentarily but you'll learn to hold your load again and so on.

Im not sure if this a success story. It doesn't bother me anymore besides my constant headaches. But even if this helps one person I'll be fine with that.

 

Hey you should get your hearing checked. I heard if it the T is noise induced you might see a notch on your audiogram around 4khz. Its possible that hearing aids which are programmed right could reduce or even eliminate the perception of your tinnitus. Even if you have a slight loss and they say you don't need them you could ask to try them out anyway and see if they can amplify a little where your T is. Make sure though that the sound can't be amplified to any unsafe level for you. Also, I know you are 15 and might think hearing aids are uncool but they really make some neat ones (and can be really small like the mini-RIC style) that can hook up to smartphones and since you are a girl you can wear long hair over them and hide them easily. If you go to a hearing aid place, they often give free hearing tests so just call around. Check out page 3 of this document:

http://www.chimehealth.co.uk/web/data/audiogram-hearing-loss-examples-2.pdf

 

It's great that you have a positive attitude. You still should be seen by a doctor. There is a reason that this is happening to you. Even if the doctor tells you that there is nothing they can do, you need to keep looking for someone who can help you. It is not normal to have tinnitus. Something is wrong with your body and you want to try to find what is causing this.

 

Thank you for being concerned. I know what caused my tinnitus. Before I left my previous home I visited an ENT for it. Out here I just wanted to attend one with my parents. I don't believe mine could get better or worse, at least not right now.
I'm not terribly concerned because I have no noticeable hearing loss and they told me it could go away or it might not.
I was stressed after that but now I don't care. I'm not even sure how I'd feel about being in complete silence now.