Should I Go Back to School Senior Year After All of This Progress?

September of last year I ended up leaving high school due to Hyperacusis. I had so much pressure on me from classes and teachers with this "if you're not first, then you're last" mentality. I was taking way to many college level courses and I was stressed out of my mind. Then Hyperacusis, hearing loss and tinnitus came. This crippled me.

I'm not going to go into full detail, but I left because of all the stress and anxiety relating to school on top of Hyperacusis. Not to mention the bells, fire alarms, noisy halls were all too loud and painful. I've made so much progress to recovery and I would love to go back to a real high school to finish out my diploma. I want to graduate with my friends and former classmates. I can get my high school diploma online and graduate. I can do the same if I go to regular high school.

However, I am not sure if I can handle all of the noise. The way my Hyperacusis reacts, if I make a really big screw up, like with a firealarm, its essentially game over. So I want to know everyone who has **HYPERACUSIS** (Tinnitus and Hyperacusis are completely different animals) to give me some advice and tell me what they think I should do. Go back to school or go to online school, either way I get my diploma.

 

Hi Taylorslay

This is a difficult one as you know and nobody can really make the choice for you. As you will also know, hyperacusis goes hand in hand with hypervigilance - e.g. you're really, really trying to focus in the classroom meaning that all of your senses (esp. hearing and vision) are on full octane - which unfortunately means all the other noises get in the way

How long have you got to go at school? Look at it this way; you've come this far, why drop out now?

I could never concentrate in noisy classrooms/lecture halls and would just have to bite the bullet and do extra work in the silence of my own home whilst all my peers were out enjoying themselves.

 

I'm not dropping out. I am definitely getting my diploma. However, I am planning to either do it at an online public school or a regular in classroom public school.

 

Sorry, I missed that one. If you can get the same diploma by doing it online then why not?

 

@Taylorslay

That's a tough decision because a fire alarm is a scary thought to someone with h. They usually have at least one a year to practice too I believe. I understand wanting to be around your friends for your final year of high school. All I can say is that's a tough decision.

I want to let you know that you're a symbol of strength to me. I'm into this t thing for under 10 weeks and I've seen many of your posts on the forum and you've come so far and showed me that I can too. Thank you.

 

@Taylorslay

What is the worst noise (at school) that excaberates your H ?

 

Perhaps you could be told in advance when there was going to be a fire drill so you could either stay home that day or wear hearing protection.

However the bells and noisy halls are probably unavoidable. I suppose the questions you need to ask yourself are: Do you plan on wearing protection the whole time you're in school? Will the bells and halls be tolerable? Will you be experiencing anxiety that will interfere with your learning and your ability to enjoy the senior year experience?

If you choose online school, can you still participate in some extracurricular activities and social events at the school (so you can interact with your friends and enjoy at least some of the senior year experience)?

 

You're story sounds familiar in the sense that I have also had many occasions in which I had my doubts about returning to many of my daily activities in fear of undoing my progress. I still struggle with these fears sometimes, but I try to realize that these fears are counterproductive as they only enforce avoidance behavior and in a sense I'd be allowing hyperacusis to control me, instead of me controlling hyperacusis.

Deciding if you are ready to go back will of course depend largely on the level of H that you might still experience, if it is still very prominent it might be worth it to take a few more months to focus on treating/desensitizing it. But once you're close to cured (even though some lingering sensitivities might still remain), I think it is an important and maybe even essential step to get back to doing the things you did before, and learning to let go of your anxieties. This is difficult and can take time. Of course, you should be sensible with your ears and it wouldn't hurt to inquire which dB level the fire alarms reach etc. but in the end it's all about being careful, but not fearful.

Beating hyperacusis is not only about your LDL level improving or being able to do dishes without earplugs, it's about being able to get back into your life again and enjoy it fully. Since my onset of H, I've been on flights, motorized vehicles, gone to bars, used powertools, went scuba-diving, went to record stores etc. I was careful with my ears when noise levels got actually dangerous. Was I scared doing these things? You betcha! But every time I got a little less scared, enjoyed myself a bit more, and found a little piece of my old self back.

 

I am supposed to become a teacher when I graduate... I don't know how will I do that... However, my hyperacusis is so much better from what it was before... My advice is that you wear earplugs most of the time... That is what I am planning on doing in the near future if I end up working in school....

 

Lol the problem with that is, I wasn't there long enough because I was in with a panic. At the time my H and T were getting profressively worse and better because it was in the awful beginning stages. Not to mention it was soon after my trauma. At the time empty hallways with the school bell were awful because it echoed. Probably now I could take that. But I'm not sure. Fire alarms are obviously bad news.

 

Wearing earplugs most of the time will make things worse. Just make sure you have earmuffs handy when needed.

 

@Taylorslay

Have you thought about recording the school bell/fire alarm and playing it back frequently to yourself at low volume? Exposure at safe (and controllable) volume may help with desensitization

 

No. Honestly I think I can go back.

Exactly what Coffee says above. I was worried when I first started working, if the noise would be too much. I talked to my employer and they were super understanding. So they put me in a position that isn't too loud. And due to the different frequencies and levels and exposure my Hyperacusis actually has gotten a lot better. And I'm more comfortable in semi/moderately loudish situations.

What coffee says is right. I am scared. Just like I was for that job. But it turned out worth it and even made my Hyperacusis better. But it's important to go back to daily life. I mentioned I went to the movies not that long ago because someone close to me wanted to go really bad. I was very scared to. But I wore earplugs. I didn't understand a damn thing the entire movie lol. But I got through it. Had a spike due to the silence of the earplugs and as of today I'm back to normal.

Coffee is right. I should go back. However, yes ultimately it is my desicion if I should go back to regular school or not.

 

Controlled exposure can work for hyperacusis (as Coffee and I state above). It's about reducing the fear and the anxiety which is a huge component of hyperacusis.

On a different level, if you don't go back to regular school, would you have been defeated by hyperacusis?

 

Yes, you should go back to school. Your chances of building a good life are severely diminished if you quit school.

Classes etc. should be more than O.K. for you. In Venues with live music, events where you need to scream to be heard, etc. you should wear earplugs.

Best,
Zug

 

I can relate to this because I attend to university and I'm taking a year off but all this is not because of my hyperacusis but other things of personal issues. I think I am slowly getting used to the sounds I hear and with the help of some ocd and anxiety pills I'm getting out of phonophobia and such....

I wore earplugs all the time when I was attending university courses(for 3 years maybe) but now that I am home all the time, I never use them at all. I'm sick of all the horrible noises when I accidently touches them and the occlusion effect. So when I get back to school and am refusing to wear any protections, I have to deal woth all the noises from the subway(2 hours of more per day) and the lecturer's voice from speakers. Can I make it now that I am not fully recovered?

I guess high school is much better than attending a college. Although it would be noisy, I have a conviction that you'te going to make it.

And getting a diploma via online is something I would never recommend unless you don't have another choice. It's good to be around the social environment and all the social interactions with the people there. It a loss of great opportunity. I really am impressed by your energy and decisiveness.

 

HI @Taylorslay

As you know, I have commented on your progress with tinnitus and hyperacusis a few times in this forum and think it is remarkable that you have improved so much in a relative short period of time, without specialist treatment for these conditions. Eight months in tinnitus and hyperacusis terms is really no time at all. I remember how much you were suffering and the help and support that people gave you in this forum. I am pleased that you listened to our advice and believe this has helped you to where you are today.

This is not to diminish your positivity, vitality and zest for life which you clearly have in abundance and are more strings to your bow! This is evident in the fact that you want to return to college and get your diploma. Follow your dreams and aspirations as I believe this is the right course for you to take. I agree with @victoria9273 that you need social interaction with people, so consider going back to college rather than doing an online course for now.

I understand your concerns as you don't want to undo what you've achieved by being subjected to overly loud sounds. Unfortunately I cannot say for sure how you will be affected. Using noise reduction earplugs "occasionally" might be an option for you but please don't become reliant upon them as you don't want to risk, lowering the loudness threshold of your auditory system, which could make it more sensitive to sound.

My advice is to follow your "gut" feelings for usually when one does so it's the right decision. You have made outstanding progress and I believe this will continue. Habituating to tinnitus often takes many months and up to 2 years. Hyperacusis can be completely cured for some people as mine was. This can also take up to 2 years. Carry on using sound enrichment whenever possible and particularly at night. You are right to be cautious and prudent but carry on believing. This is your moment, so grasp it and run with it.

All the best
Michael

 

I think I plan to go back. I'm scared I sure am. I'll have earmuffs handy for fire alarms and everything. So it'll be okay.

 

Wishing you all the best in whatever you decide to do Taylorslay.

Keep strong.
Michael

 

Your can-do attitude is inspiring!
I hope you have an awesome senior year!

 

Wishing you all the best..

 

Speaking as someone who has taken and taught online courses, I say go that route while you figure out how to deal with your hearing issues.

The quality of education you get from an online course (as long as they are well done courses) is as good as an face to face course, IF you are the sort that is self directed and driven to do a good job of it. By the sounds of it you have the skill set to do well, so just do it and worry about how to deal with in class situations (post secondary) later.

cheers,
krispin