Learning to Cope: Bouts of Tinnitus Before, Continuous and Severe Since 2019

I've had bouts of tinnitus all my life, but I noticed it was continuous and often distressingly severe over the last year. As I've learned more, I can see that I have also been experiencing hyperacusis for several years. I do not know what triggered the change in my hearing - I've always been reasonably careful about exposure to loud noises, and I can't pinpoint any medication or trauma that could have contributed.

This year has been tough. My work involves writing, and I've found it increasingly difficult to stay focused for any length of time when doing solo work, regardless of masking strategies. The realization that it is continuous, my screeching companion morning, evening, 3am, etc. was horrifying. I've always cherished quiet and I no longer experience it.

One of the perversities of this condition is that it is completely invisible to others. I've named my tinnitus "Tina" to make it easier to discuss with my wife. "How's Tina this morning?" gives me an easy way to share why I may be distant or distracted. So it is nice to find this community of tinnitus copers (couldn't think of a better word, don't want to think of us as sufferers). I look forward to sharing and hopefully chasing a cure.