Recent Tinnitus Spike Likely from Headphone Use — Very Severe Anxiety

[Mercury.inxu]

Hey I'm Danielle, I'm 17 and I've had tinnitus for almost 2 years now. It freaked me out when I first got it, but after some time it managed to quiet down and I managed to live with it (so much so to where I could sleep without my noise machine on).

But recently it started to get very very loud, so much so to where I have panic attacks, and nothing really masks it perfectly anymore. Originally I got it from exposure to loud noises through wearing headphones all the time. Initially I wore headphones because music prevents panic attacks for me a lot of the time, but instead it ended up being a bigger problem. I never really STOPPED wearing them, I switched to earbuds for while, no issue then.

But recently I switched back to headphones again, and after a few months of wearing them daily I'm like this.

This started about a week or so ago, when it actually started to bother me. My ears are hurting as well, very bad, also popping. I don't take anxiety meds at all, and I spent the entire day in the counselor's office yesterday crying over it. I just am really hoping it will quiet down again and not be this loud forever, like last time.

But I'm not sure, and it's severely freaking me out. Does anyone have any tips?

 

[Mercury.inxu]

I really thought ear buds were worse than headphones from all the sources I've seen, but for me it really seems to be the opposite.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I really thought ear buds were worse than headphones from all the sources I've seen, but for me it really seems to be the opposite.

Both might be dangerous.

 

[Mercury.inxu]

Both might be dangerous.

True, but I figured if I were careful about volume I'd be okay,

 

[Bill Bauer]

True, but I figured if I were careful about volume I'd be okay,

This logic works out well for some/most? people. It has horrific consequences for the rest.

 

[Mercury.inxu]

This logic works out well for some/most? people. It has horrific consequences for the rest.

Yeah, next time I think I'm gonna quit wearing them all together unless I actually need them, as of right now I only wear my headphones on the bus bc people are loud and it makes me anxious

 

[Tweedleman]

If you're getting pain and ear popping that's your ears way of telling you no more. Use earplugs to drown loud environments out instead, and don't worry about what other people think of you. You have to find a new way to cope with your anxiety, this is a must. The most important thing you can do is rest your ears.

 

[Mercury.inxu]

If you're getting pain and ear popping that's your ears way of telling you no more. Use earplugs to drown loud environments out instead, and don't worry about what other people think of you. You have to find a new way to cope with your anxiety, this is a must. The most important thing you can do is rest your ears.

Definitely gonna work on that, but do you think that means the spike is temporary? And things will eventually go back to normal so I can finally relax?? As of right now there's an awful cycle of it giving me anxiety, and anxiety making it worse

 

[Bill Bauer]

unless I actually need them

What will you do if you get another (possibly permanent) spike after using the headphone "when you really needed to use them"? Is your plan to wait until that event to finally decide to not use headphones, no matter what?

 

[Mercury.inxu]

What will you do if you get another (possibly permanent) spike after using the headphone "when you really needed to use them"? Is your plan to wait until that event to finally decide to not use headphones, no matter what?

If I'm honest I don't even think it's from the loudness of the headphones but rather the amount of time I had them on, not giving my ears enough time to breathe.

 

[Bill Bauer]

If I'm honest I don't even think it's from the loudness of the headphones but rather the amount of time I had them on, not giving my ears enough time to breathe.

Since you don't know the real cause, it would seem that the safest thing would be to just stay away from the headphones, at least during the next 2-3 years as your ears gradually recover.

 

[Michael Leigh]

But recently I switched back to headphones again, and after a few months of wearing them daily I'm like this.

This started about a week or so ago, when it actually started to bother me. My ears are hurting as well, very bad, also popping. I don't take anxiety meds at all, and I spent the entire day in the counselor's office yesterday crying over it. I just am really hoping it will quiet down again and not be this loud forever, like last time.

But I'm not sure, and it's severely freaking me out. Does anyone have any tips?

@Mercury.inxu

My advice to you is not to use any type of headphones again even at low volume as you risk the tinnitus getting worse. Please read my post below.

All the best
Michael


I have expressed many times in the forum that it is a risk for anyone that has tinnitus which was caused by exposure to loud noise to use any type of headphones even at low volume. There are people in this forum that have tinnitus which was caused by exposure to loud noise and use headphones without any problems. However, there are many people that have Noise induced tinnitus and used headphones at low volume and regretted it, because their tinnitus has increased and will not reduce to its previous baseline level.

The ear canal is approximately 26mm long. When sound is directed into through headphones, it has only one place to go and that is towards the eardrum. This can cause irritation to the cochlea situated behind the eardrum, due the syncopation within music. When listening to music through speakers, there is some dispersion before it is picked up by ear and enters ear-canal. However, if music is too loud one can still cause irritation to the auditory system which can spike the tinnitus and possibly make it worse.

There are people that have tinnitus which was not caused by exposure to loud noise and are quick to say using headphones causes no harm for people with Noise induced tinnitus. These people do not have NIT and therefore, know nothing about the condition. If you choose to follow their advice because they are telling you what you want to hear, that is your choice. Just remember, should your tinnitus increase then you will be the one in distress all by yourself with no-one to help you. Peruse some of the posts in this forum from members that have NIT and used headphones and regretted it.

 

[Tweedleman]

Definitely gonna work on that, but do you think that means the spike is temporary? And things will eventually go back to normal so I can finally relax?? As of right now there's an awful cycle of it giving me anxiety, and anxiety making it worse

There is no way of knowing for sure until enough time has passed. I'm in the same boat, waiting. You could always have a hearing test done. If you haven't lost any significant amount of hearing then you probably stand a good chance of it dying down with lots of rest. But with pain and earpopping it sounds like you are on the brink of something serious like hyperacusis. Not trying to scare you, but I would seriously ditch both headphones and earbuds. Some of us are just cursed with brittle, sensitive ears. Believe me, I wish I had read the warning signs more carefully. Now my hearing is a mess.

 

[Mercury.inxu]

Since you don't know the real cause, it would seem that the safest thing would be to just stay away from the headphones, at least during the next 2-3 years as your ears gradually recover.

I can definitely do that, but what should I do right now for my anxiety? I know for a fact that me getting anxious over it is definitely making it worse, but I really don't know how to manage it when I constantly dwell on it

 

[Bill Bauer]

I know for a fact that me getting anxious over it is definitely making it worse

Tell yourself (the truth!) that chances are this spike is a temporary spike (most spikes are, it isn't easy to get a permanent spike). Temporary spikes can take over 3 months to clear, but most of them begin to fade after about a month. When one is a month in and doesn't notice any fading, one is justified about worrying about the spike being permanent. For now it is reasonable to assume that it is temporary, so there is no good reason to worry and be anxious.

 

[Tweedleman]

I can definitely do that, but what should I do right now for my anxiety? I know for a fact that me getting anxious over it is definitely making it worse, but I really don't know how to manage it when I constantly dwell on it

I feel your pain, I am having the same vicious cycle with anxiety. That is the struggle we all have with this ailment, and ultimately you will have to figure out a solution. If your hearing ability seems normal then do take comfort in that. It may just take a long time to heal, like months. I'm dealing with nasty hearing damage on top of the T spike after going to a metal concert without protection. Just know that it can get sooo much worse.

 

[Mercury.inxu]

@Mercury.inxu

My advice to you is not to use any type of headphones again even at low volume as you risk the tinnitus getting worse. Please read my post below.

All the best
Michael


I have expressed many times in the forum that it is a risk for anyone that has tinnitus which was caused by exposure to loud noise to use any type of headphones even at low volume. There are people in this forum that have tinnitus which was caused by exposure to loud noise and use headphones without any problems. However, there are many people that have Noise induced tinnitus and used headphones at low volume and regretted it, because their tinnitus has increased and will not reduce to its previous baseline level.

The ear canal is approximately 26mm long. When sound is directed into through headphones, it has only one place to go and that is towards the eardrum. This can cause irritation to the cochlea situated behind the eardrum, due the syncopation within music. When listening to music through speakers, there is some dispersion before it is picked up by ear and enters ear-canal. However, if music is too loud one can still cause irritation to the auditory system which can spike the tinnitus and possibly make it worse.

There are people that have tinnitus which was not caused by exposure to loud noise and are quick to say using headphones causes no harm for people with Noise induced tinnitus. These people do not have NIT and therefore, know nothing about the condition. If you choose to follow their advice because they are telling you what you want to hear, that is your choice. Just remember, should your tinnitus increase then you will be the one in distress all by yourself with no-one to help you. Peruse some of the posts in this forum from members that have NIT and used headphones and regretted it.

I've occasionally decided I'm gonna stop using headphones for good, and find other ways to cope when in public spaces. I realize now that it's damaging my hearing more than a concert will.

 

[Mercury.inxu]

Tell yourself (the truth!) that chances are this spike is a temporary spike (most spikes are, it isn't easy to get a permanent spike). Temporary spikes can take over 3 months to clear, but most of them begin to fade after about a month. When one is a month in and doesn't notice any fading, one is justified about worrying about the spike being permanent. For now it is reasonable to assume that it is temporary, so there is no good reason to worry and be anxious.

I really hope you're right, the problem with tinnitus is it's very unpredictable at times, especially for me. I don't know what makes it worse and what doesn't, like should I take over the counter pain meds for headaches everyday or not?? I am assuming (since I'm having pains and popping) that it's temporary, because last time when my t first started it was also much louder than it was after a few months, and I was also having pain and popping for a couple months. I just don't want to relive that again, that's what's making it so stressful. I'm currently sleeping with my mom because I'm too anxious alone. I also CONSTANTLY check if it's still there, which I know for a fact has made it worse, if I could just properly ignore it I know it would get quieter, I feel like a big reason why it can get so bad is from dwelling on it

 

[Mercury.inxu]

I feel your pain, I am having the same vicious cycle with anxiety. That is the struggle we all have with this ailment, and ultimately you will have to figure out a solution. If your hearing ability seems normal then do take comfort in that. It may just take a long time to heal, like months. I'm dealing with nasty hearing damage on top of the T spike after going to a metal concert without protection. Just know that it can get sooo much worse.

Ughh concerts are the worst for tinnitus, I went to see blink 182 in august and had to wear earplugs because I was too scared it would get bad, which really sucked because it did muffle the concert for a bit, and I had a spike for a day or two, but it wasn't anything bad.

 

[Bill Bauer]

should I take over the counter pain meds for headaches everyday or not

It is my understanding that everything except Tylenol is ototoxic. So I think you can take Tylenol.

I went to see blink 182 in august and had to wear earplugs because I was too scared it would get bad

The above proves that you have not been taking your condition seriously. I believe that unless you begin learning from your mistakes, it will just keep getting worse and worse.

 

[Bill Bauer]

and I had a spike for a day or two, but it wasn't anything bad.

It can get extremely bad. I went to clubs and concerts for four years after initial onset of mild tinnitus and hyperacusis, and I was fine. I got some increased tinnitus before going to bed, but that was all.

Until one day, it wasn't.

 

[Tweedleman]

I will add that hot baths are amazing for anxiety.

Ughh concerts are the worst for tinnitus, I went to see blink 182 in august and had to wear earplugs because I was too scared it would get bad, which really sucked because it did muffle the concert for a bit, and I had a spike for a day or two, but it wasn't anything bad.

Unfortunately for me I was at a death metal show lol. High on Fire broke me. I was oblivious and a total concert noob, was my 3rd show ever. The buddy who took me only complains of having mild T after over a decade of concert going with no earplugs. I wish I had done my research beforehand instead of listening to him. You were wise beyond your years to wear plugs for blink. I'm 26 with really messed up hearing now. I know your T is killing you atm but look at it this way, you're now armed with the knowledge I never had. I'd avoid concerts even with plugs for a while. You can beat this.

 

[Mercury.inxu]

I will add that hot baths are amazing for anxiety.



Unfortunately for me I was at a death metal show lol. High on Fire broke me. I was oblivious and a total concert noob, was my 3rd show ever. The buddy who took me only complains of having mild T after over a decade of concert going with no earplugs. I wish I had done my research beforehand instead of listening to him. You were wise beyond your years to wear plugs for blink. I'm 26 with really messed up hearing now. I know your T is killing you atm but look at it this way, you're now armed with the knowledge I never had. I'd avoid concerts even with plugs for a while. You can beat this.

Thank you! It really sucks bc I was planning on seeing green day and Weezer sometime in the fall this year, but I may have to just cancel it due to this, I need to start being weary of what I expose my ears to. But if I'm honest, earbuds and headphones bother my T much more than outside sounds, I went to a con where we had a rave like dance march last year and came home fine with no issues with my ears. There's another this year but I'll just wear earplugs this time, since this con truly is my fav part of the year.

 

[Tweedleman]

Thank you! It really sucks bc I was planning on seeing green day and Weezer sometime in the fall this year, but I may have to just cancel it due to this, I need to start being weary of what I expose my ears to. But if I'm honest, earbuds and headphones bother my T much more than outside sounds, I went to a con where we had a rave like dance march last year and came home fine with no issues with my ears. There's another this year but I'll just wear earplugs this time, since this con truly is my fav part of the year.

The thing to keep in mind is that hearing damage is cumulitive. I've got a dB measurer app on my phone now and have been shocked by how loud everyday places are. Think of your ears as having a budget, you want to spend it gradually over your life. Concerts take a bigger chunk out depending on how loud they are, and even if you don't notice right away. Also, judging something based on how much it upsets your ears is really bad. That was my logic and look where I am lol. You should measure the dB's and let them be the rule. If it's much over 80dB and you're gonna be there for a while, earplugs.

 

[Mercury.inxu]

It is my understanding that everything except Tylenol is ototoxic. So I think you can take Tylenol.

The above proves that you have not been taking your condition seriously. I believe that unless you begin learning from your mistakes, it will just keep getting worse and worse.

I'm a tad confused on what you mean by not taking my condition seriously? I've only been to three concerts my entire life, the other two a year before my t started, since I've gotten t I've been way more careful with events that I go to and how loud their gonna be, that's why I purchased ear plugs before this concert, which helped me a ton

 

[Mercury.inxu]

The thing to keep in mind is that hearing damage is cumulitive. I've got a dB measurer app on my phone now and have been shocked by how loud everyday places are. Think of your ears as having a budget, you want to spend it gradually over your life. Concerts take a bigger chunk out depending on how loud they are, and even if you don't notice right away. Also, judging something based on how much it upsets your ears is really bad. That was my logic and look where I am lol. You should measure the dB's and let them be the rule. If it's much over 80dB and you're gonna be there for a while, earplugs.

Definitely, though I got my hearing checked about a year and a half ago and it came back normal? But I do think there's issues, in crowed spaces is someone is talking directly to me, I can't understand what they're saying and it gets muffled, I thought maybe that was a part of hearing loss but I'm honestly not sure, since it came back completely normal lol

 

[Bill Bauer]

I'm a tad confused on what you mean by not taking my condition seriously?

You have been exposing yourself to loud noises.

I've only been to three concerts my entire life, the other two a year before my t started, since I've gotten t I've been way more careful with events that I go to and how loud their gonna be, that's why I purchased ear plugs before this concert, which helped me a ton

"Way more careful" means doing all you can to not get exposed to loud noises. Going to a concert and wearing earplugs is NOT trying to minimize your exposure to noises.
Check out the experiences below

My tinnitus was severe initially, but it went away completely but then it returned, slowly at first, as I continued to enjoy a few concerts and clubs (with earplugs and in moderation). I only continued to do these activities after an ENT told me that I should continue to do all the things I usually did, just wear protection - I first and foremost blame her for the situation I am now in (horrendously loud tinnitus and hyperacusis) from bad advice. I should have trusted my gut instinct and never went to another rock concert again, but no I trusted her advice... perhaps because I wanted to.

I gave up concerts in 2016 when I got my first very noticeable increase - the time it went from being a "only at night" sound to a 24/7 sound, though very low in the day, I could tune it out easily. I was quite happy, learning to sleep normally with the new volume, and it didn't bother me too much. I still went to social nights with friends, bars and restaurants that weren't playing loud music were ok for me with earplugs.

Fast forward to April 2018 and I decided to accept an invitation from a friend to play electric guitar with him at his house. Big mistake! We played on small amps and for an hour and a half and that is what left me with catastrophic tinnitus and hyperacusis.... I'd say from this point onwards, the impact on my life has been absolutely life-changing and devastating. I'm to blame for that, I should have known better, but I stupidly thought with ear protection I'd be ok because I am usually ok playing my amp even without earplugs. I should have worn ear defenders not just ear plugs. As I hadn't taken in the extra volume from his amp and plus he turned his up a bit louder than mine. I became full of regret and started to hate myself and my decision that changed my life.

My life since has been very difficult. I cannot sleep without meds each night, the ringing is so loud. I cannot drive, shop or walk near busy roads without earplugs. I cannot go to restaurants or bars anymore or do most social activities that my friends do which has left me feeling isolated and depressed. I've tried to vacation as usual... which was partially successful. However on flights I have to wear ear defenders otherwise my tinnitus spikes like crazy. The last time I flew in May this year, part of my trip involved a boat trip....the boat was 87 dB! I wore earplugs but again, 87 dB on a small boat 47 minutes each way? It caused another increase in my tinnitus. The same thing goes for driving my car... if I drive on a highway for more than 30 mins, normal earplugs don't protect me, I have to wear ear defenders to stop tinnitus spiking. I'm not sure what kind of tinnitus I have but it's very reactive to low level noise and it really gets me down as it seems to increase in volume each time. I don't want to live like a hermit but it's becoming that way... and I hate it. The spikes from little mistakes are loud and go on for weeks. Usually when they fade I'm left with louder ringing generally.

When people speak of habituation, I'm pretty sure they refer to what I was experiencing when my T was a lot less louder. It was easy to tune out which is why I never took it seriously until it was too late. What I have now is impossible to ignore completely.

It lead to stress and anxiety which have destroyed my sleeping. Without any medication I get maybe an hour of unrefreshing sleep. I take ambien which gives me 4 at most which is my new normal now. Memory and cognitive abilities have fallen off a cliff. I suggest you drop concerts, headphones, and anything else involving loud sounds. You don't not want to reach this state ever. Take care.

Yeah, that's how I ended up with severe tinnitus and it was mild in the beginning. I'm not saying people should stay at home all day but I do think that things like concerts can permanently worsen tinnitus even if that person wears hearing protection. Of course, not in every case and the thread is about a lawn mower not a concert but I don't think it's responsible to tell someone to just 'live their life' - go out with hearing protection but if your body is giving you signals that t is getting worse then listen to those. I had people with tinnitus tell me I'd be safe with ear plugs and if I noticed a spike it would just be due to me worrying about it... I know other people aren't as naive and stupid as I used to be but the severity of my tinnitus was honestly preventable and I wouldn't wish such a worsening on anyone else.

And check out this article (and especially the quotes below):
https://www.buzzfeed.com/joycecohen/noise-kills-when-everyday-sound-becomes-torture
More useful quotes from that buzzfeed article

Recognition of the dangers of noise — which are often mischaracterized and more far-reaching than previously assumed — is "dawning a little bit but doesn't go beyond the research community so far," says Jos Eggermont, a professor at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. He was stunned when his research showed that exposure to low-level noise, in amounts not generally considered harmful, caused extensive damage in the auditory cortex.

My not-yet husband emailed me because I was getting better and he was getting worse. He wanted to know my strategy. Time and silence, I told him.

Regarding a person who had committed suicide as a result of tinnitus and hyperacusis:

A concert he couldn't resist. His audiologist told him earplugs were enough. They weren't. "I want to emphasize that this is entirely my own fault," Hectors wrote. "I have never been aware of the dangers."
...
The final, fatal dose of noise came during a friend's bachelor party; he wore earplugs during dinner and fled after a brief stop at the karaoke bar. His ears burned with a white-hot pain.

and here's one more

While earplugs will offer some protection at concerts and clubs. Please be aware they are not 100% safe. If external sound is loud enough it will pass through your head/skull and be transferred to your inner ear by "bone conduction" this can irritate the cochlea and cause a tinnitus spike, that can result in increasing your tinnitus permanently to a new level. Please read the post below written by a member who is an Audio engineer.


Hi!
I'm an audio engineer and now have T. I hate to have to tell you this but there are no earplugs that can protect you in the typical nightclub environment. The best protection will only lower the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) by about 30 db. Assuming the sound is typical, it's going to hover around 105 db A when measured using long term averaging, slow response on a meter. This means there will be peaks well in excess of 120 db"A" weighted. Weighting the scales of measurement on the sound meter gives more accurate readings. "A" weighting approximates what your eardrum is sensitive to... meaning sound with the deep bass filtered out. "C" weighting includes the bass and is generally 15-30 db higher than an "A" reading.

So, 105 db A (typical nightclub or major concert translates into 130 db "C" or more including the bass. How long do people generally stay in the average nightclub? Too long! 4 hour stay is average. A concert is generally 2.5 hours. Many people will stay in the club all night until they are "OK" to drive and be back in public LMAO. The drugs people do screws up their judgement and desensitizes them to physical sensation and people damage themselves without realizing it.

Sound levels pretty much everywhere are TOO loud IMO. Instead of the industry standard 105 db A (Live Nation SPL cap) I like to keep it at 96-98 for people. Why so loud? Above 96 db the fight or flight response begins to kick in and you get that rush of excitement you get at a concert. It's a lot of what people pay for. Deep bass goes in through bone transconductance. You don't "hear" it with your eardrum you feel it This is how it is possible to have bass with headphones. If this transconductance did not occur, the long wavelengths that make bass would not have enough distance to unfold when using headphones. So, earplugs DO NOT protect you from low frequency damage. Not even a little bit.

So, on the one hand, you're going to have 100db + peaks getting through your earplugs in the range above 100 Hz (low note on a 4 string bass guitar is 41.7 Hz) and the bass below will pressurize your cochlea like nothing is even there, straight through the bone. Some of the subwoofer arrays I have installed in places must have security grating around them to keep people from getting within ten feet of the subwoofer array because the array produces well over 150 db down at 35Hz at 1 meter distance and would make them nauseous or in some extreme cases even worse than that.

I can say this definitively from direct personal and professional experience. If you value your hearing and do not want your tinnitus to increase, avoid these places or if you must go limit your exposure considerably.

Check out the advice below

I didn't read all the above comments, but did peruse a fair amount of it, and ran across many good points on both sides of the argument. What strikes me is there seems to be an underlying assumption (of course I may be wrong on this) that all brains and neurological systems are created equal. The way I see it, that's simply not the case, so everybody's way of dealing with tinnitus and/or hyperacusis is going to have to be highly individualized.

I read a book many years ago called "Adrenal Syndrome". A lot of the book touched on the residual resiliency of people's adrenal glands as they respond to life's stresses. Very low resiliency often resulted in months/years of chronic debilitating exhaustion following a stressful event(s) in their lives. Very high resiliency indicated essentially the opposite. The author broke this down into some rough numbers:

25% of people have low resiliency, meaning normal life stressors will often send them into some degree of a tailspin.
25% of people have high resiliency, meaning that no matter how severe a stressor comes into their lives, they will be able to cope without becoming debilitated to any degree.
50% of people fall somewhere inbetween.

I believe there are some kind of corresponding numbers for a person's brain and neurological resiliency as well, which can greatly affect the ability to cope with tinnitus. (I believe adrenal resiliency also plays a major role in our ability to cope). -- Based on these assumptions, it's pretty easy for me to conclude that what may be overprotection for one person will be underprotection for another, and vice versa.

I think the main point to understand for someone new to tinnitus is that their path forward is going to be a lot of "testing the waters". Generally, IMHO, it's going to take a few weeks or months to get important insights that will help us achieve a healthy balance. In all likelihood, most people are going to learn from experience when their over-protecting or under-protecting.

I've come to believe however, that in those early months, if one is going to err in either direction, it should be toward overprotection. It just seems to me the consequences of underprotection (which could result in permanent injury) in those early times are much more dire than the consequences of overprotection--which as I understand, generally results in temporary setbacks.

Doing a number of things to better support the brain and neurological system and the body's stress response (adrenal glands) is quite high on my list of recommendations I would make to anybody with tinnitus. Doing so might even prevent phonophobia or OCD, etc., as we go through our learning curves -- Just my 2 cents worth.

Relative newbies to tinnitus are likely to find all the information/opinions above quite confusing. So here are a few common-sense rules to follow:

1. The best protection of all is avoidance. Even the best earplugs can't guarantee complete hearing protection so those relatively new to tinnitus are best advised to avoid prolonged loud noise exposure - especially amplified sound at for example live concerts and sports events. This may involve lifestyle changes.

2. When in doubt, use hearing protection. In the many tasks we all do through the week, some will inevitably involve exposure to noise - which may be at higher levels than we at first realise - so using hearing protection for many of these is only sensible.

3. Build quiet into your day. It's not a good idea to be wearing hearing protection all the time - so you need to give your ears a break by ensuring that there will be quieter times during your day when hearing protection isn't necessary.This may involve changing your routine. Use soft masking noise and light music (not using headphones) to avoid "silence" where tinnitus is most noticeable.

4. Don't stress about stress. Tinnitus newbies are forever being told that the thing which makes tinnitus worse is stress. But while it's true that how you are feeling at a particular moment can make tinnitus temporarily louder, it won't have a lasting effect. But prolonged loud noise exposure can make tinnitus permanently louder. So don't stress about stress - but do be concerned about noise.

 

[Mercury.inxu]

You have been exposing yourself to loud noises.

"Way more careful" means doing all you can to not get exposed to loud noises. Going to a concert and wearing earplugs is NOT trying to minimize your exposure to noises.
Check out the experiences below


And check out this article (and especially the quotes below):
https://www.buzzfeed.com/joycecohen/noise-kills-when-everyday-sound-becomes-torture
More useful quotes from that buzzfeed article

Regarding a person who had committed suicide as a result of tinnitus and hyperacusis:

and here's one more

Check out the advice below

I'd hate for this to sound rude, but an article about suicide while I've been having suicidal thoughts really doesn't seem like a helpful thing right now. I really joined this website for some sort of hope of things getting better for me, and learn some ways to cope with my t better and relax, but I'm finding this to just start stressing me out even more. I've already decided to quit using headphones and earbuds for good today, I don't know what else you want me to do, this concert was months ago, already done, there's nothing I can do about it now

 

[Bill Bauer]

I'd hate for this to sound rude, but an article about suicide while I've been having suicidal thoughts really doesn't seem like a helpful thing right now.

In the long run, it IS helpful. You are having suicidal thoughts as a result of being reckless, and at the same time you plan to continue being reckless. The person in the article did what you were planning to do, and it hasn't worked out for him. If you haven't learned from your own mistakes, perhaps you will learn from others' mistakes. If you Learn, then, like I said, in the long run you will be Less likely to have a reason to be suicidal. Makes sense?

I really joined this website for some sort of hope of things getting better for me, and learn some ways to cope with my t better

That's Exactly what my post above is accomplishing. If you learn from your mistakes, there is a reason to hope that you will eventually get better. My post has offered you a way to cope (feeling good about being serious about protecting your ears and doing something about your tinnitus). If it isn't what you expected to hear, then that's good - you learned something new, and got to look at your tinnitus from a new angle. Unless you want to interact with some "yes men" who will tell you to continue doing what you have been doing (and that has clearly Not been working well for you), enabling you to crash and burn.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I don't know what else you want me to do

Commit to being serious about doing what you can to protect your ears.