In a Constant State of Terror After Reading a Man Wanting Euthanasia Because of Tinnitus

Hello there,

I’m a single mom from the Netherlands, of two lovely kids.

I have had tinnitus for 18 years and lived perfectly fine with it... unfortunately I read an article about a man who wants to have euthanasia because of it, which triggered me enormously and now I’m in a constant state of terror that this will happen to me too, I just can’t get my thoughts off of it... I feel terrible, also for my children..

Will it fade, just like it did before?

I’m taking medicine to help me cope with the panic, so I have to wait how that goes... I can’t sleep... just a very anxious and depressed feeling...

xx
Fran

 

If you lived fine with tinnitus for 18 years, what's stopping you from living fine with it again? Do stuff to get your mind off of it and keep living life. We're all gonna make it.

 

Thanks for the support. Well I don’t know exactly, but the story of the man triggered me so much and I can’t keep my mind off of it... Do you think that will get better again? I’m also scared that it’s getting worse... I’m just overall scared... but on the other hand I know that even people with terrible tinnitus can learn to live with it... I’m just in a very negative spiral at the moment... emotional rollercoaster... ups and downs... I think when the anxiety gets less, things will be better already...

 

Time heals most things. Your mind will eventually get used to the sound, or at the very least you will not have this kind of emotional reaction to it. I can't speak for you, but your increased anxiety levels are probably the reason you believe it's getting worse.

 

Yes my anxiety has to go down... and also I had a medicine switch and with two days of no medicine, what also triggered this I guess... so my anxiety is the biggest problem indeed... and the fear it will get worse... at this moment it’s still the same as it always was... can you imagine.

 

Yes it will fade! I feel the same way when I go down rabbit holes about how bad some of us feel. I’m having a rough patch with my tinnitus right now as well and I’m trying to be as positive as possible.

Wishing you a quick road back to normal!

 

That man's tinnitus was so loud that he wanted euthanasia within days or months of getting tinnitus. If you have lived with it for 18 years, you are going to be fine.

 

I believe you’re right... I’m just very anxious at the moment... hope it will pass.

 

Thanks! Yes it’s so stupid... I didn’t have any problems with it and now it’s consuming me... but it will fade I believe that also... I’m also very depressed at the moment and anxious and that doesn’t help with being positive really have to bring myself back to my normal life... I’m always a very positive person, but at the moment it’s difficult... it really isn’t good to read those bad stories... I know that now for sure!

 

Maybe stay away from too much computer time?


Are you under other stress as well?

If we look at the fence beside the road, we drive toward it.
Keep looking at the road. Best of luc and stay positive.

 

Most spikes are temporary spikes. Temporary spikes can last for over three months, but should begin fading after about 4-6 weeks (or earlier). If a spike doesn't fade for two months, Then it makes sense to worry about it being permanent.

Your spike has lasted less than a month, right? If so, you have a good reason to assume that it will be temporary.

 

Thanks But at this point I’m just afraid that I won’t be able to put my focus off of it... even if it’s not that loud... it’s just that all of a sudden I’m aware of it again and it frightens me. First it didn’t. I could think about it and gave it no meaning. Now I’m afraid I will go crazy or something difficult.

 

@Francis I assume you read this story recently. Please understand you are not that person! You are still @Francisca I'll try not to read the sad stories. We know they are there but that is not me or you! It will take time but with help you should try to not think of what you read. Think positive think of the joys in your life. As I pray for better treatments or cure.

 

You are right... I just hope I can get my focus off of it again... it’s exhausting.

 

After about 2-2.5 years many people with mild tinnitus report experiencing habituation, where they stop being aware of their tinnitus. It might take time, but if it is not loud, you ought to eventually stop noticing it.

 

Yes I’ve had it for 18 years, but since the article I’m focused on it again and afraid.

 

Try to be happy yours isn't so bad, like Allan, he killed himself over tinnitus.

In Loving Memory of Allan1967

 

Well I am afraid it will get bad

 

Why would you mention him? She is already anxious over someone wanting to kill themselves over tinnitus and you bring up a similar example. That is so extremely irresponsible of you.

 

It won't. The vast majority of people habituate to tinnitus and live normal lives.

 

I thought that your volume had actually increased as a result of the stress due to reading that horror story.

If your volume hasn't changed, it ought to take a lot less time than 2.5 years for you to get back to your baseline and to stop noticing it.

 

I’ve never heard that quote. I love it!

 

Thanks. Yes, not very nice indeed.

 

Yes, will I get my focus off of it again? I’m afraid it will get worse... really hope it will be ok.

 

When it gets louder, people take 2 years to habituate and stop focusing on it. In your case it hasn't gotten louder and you had already been able to live years without focusing on it, so surely within 3-12 months you ought to naturally stop focusing on it.

There is no reason for it to get worse, unless you get exposed to loud noises, take ototoxic medication, have an ultrasonic scaling tool used on you by your dental hygienist, have non-manual tools used on you when cleaning the wax from your ears, or have a loud MRI scan.

 

Because he's a troll lmao.

 

Is it possible you could go jogging, bicycling, or get on treadmill? Maybe you can "burn off" some of that adrenaline and calm down more and maybe your tinnitus won't seem as bad to you again. Also, I suggest you need to do some things and get distracted from tinnitus. Maybe go somewhere where you don't notice your tinnitus that much. Then hopefully your mind can calm down and stop fretting about the tinnitus.

 

Ok thanks.. that helps me a bit... I’m just focussing on it all the time and it’s exhausting and scary...

 

Get yourself a loving cat that will sit upon your lap relaxed, pet the cat and you will see the anxiety and stress fall away.

It's my therapy when I can't get my head around tinnitus. Plus your children will love you for getting a cat.

 

I remember a story from 2009 that sent me into a tailspin for a while. Essentially, these stories emerge from time to time in the news. I don't know whether it's a good thing to have the media bring much attention to these stories but I can see 2 sides of the coin.

On the one hand it shows that tinnitus can truly be debilitating and deserves a cure. However, these stories often end up in the tabloids and are written in a sensational way. I think that they do little to bring exposure to tinnitus in the scientific community and will not cause researchers to suddenly be swayed and make tinnitus their life's work. I have the impression from the podcasts most researchers are already very devoted to their plight.

On the other hand, these stories can create awareness among the general public but you know how it goes. There are many rare and horrible illnesses and people can read a story about starving children in the third world and move on with their lives right the next minute.
Thinking the general population would feel compelled to donate because of the media exposure is an illusion. Most of the tinnitus sufferers aren't even actively advocating for a cure, or donating. I think this must have to do with the fact that most people having tinnitus that is bad enough to bother them are doing their best to actively ignore anything that reminds them of their tinnitus. The fact that it's an invisible illness doesn't help. Milder sufferers who have been able to overcome their tinnitus are in the majority and create the image that, yes, tinnitus is something that bothers you for a while. If you don't get used to it then you must have mental problems.
That's not to say that these stories shouldn't be published because these things do exist and happen.

In your case, you have most likely become hypervigilant about your longstanding tinnitus because of the euthanasia story. This goes to show that these stories can do harm to people. Of course, time spent worrying about what could happen, but may well never happen, is not worth it. I think in time, you'll be ok again.

All the best!