Starting to Shine a Light on the Darkness

Hi my name is Darryl John and I am a singer songwriter with severe Tinnitus. I would like to say thank you for everyone stories, especially the success stories. They helped so much as I was glued to the internet for a cure for the first 10 months

It's been 17 months since my onset of servere tinnitus and although my tinnitus is still loud and proud I am starting to accept that it is not going away and trying to get as healthy as I can in mind body and spirit. I am definitely seeing a light shine through the darkness and am exercising, meditating and eating healthy everyday and trying to find more balance and love in my life. This is nothing like the man 17 months ago who had extreme anxiety and depression and who felt his life , business and musical career was over. My tinnitus came on suddenly after a year of recording my debut album and 2 days after my little baby girl was born. I ran out the hospital room, sat in the toilet and was so scared and hoped it would go away. The same sound after endless, crying and paying thousands of dollars on treatments on looking for a cure is the same as I sit here today. The only difference is I care so much less. Nothing masks my noise as it is a very high frequency except for the shower which I used to take about 20 a day at the beginning. I have only joined the forum today after reading so many of your stories which helped in my early days. Thank you again.

I am here totry and help others like you who helped me with a success story that is does get better.

Forget about cures, stop looking on the support forum and know that in time if you start to loose the fear and try to find some positivity and gratitude in your life I promise it will get better. Habituation is a natural process which takes time and happens at different times for each individual. I can not give you the answer as to when it will for you but I am 100 percent sure it will happen for you and for me. I am not fully habituated but I am so so so so so so much better than I was in the first year. The best advice I ever had was to keep trying your best to get out of bed and try and live each day the best you can and be the best person you can each day with tinnitus. Some days I had really , really bad days , some days were not so bad and now I have lots and lots of really good days. Some advice which helped me was talking to Bruce Hubbord, Paul Tobey and Kevin Hogan. None of them had a magic cure but they did help me start to look at my tinnitus in a different way. The Victorian Tinnitus association is also amazing which has a amazing help line which I called every day for almost a year. I now have a life coach Kat John who makes me do 30 mins exercise a day and daily meditation. Tinnitus is a bully and I am finally starting to tame the bully . Find support from your family and friends and don't be ashamed if you cannot cope at the beginning. I certainly did not and I thought I was a strong, positive happy character. Nothing in my life had ever been this hard to take.

Below is a recent article on me and my tinnitus and my new album on fox8live. I finally released my album yesterday and am not ashamed to say I have tinnitus and I am learning to live with it the best I can and carry on doing what I love everyday, which is singing and songwriting . I have not performed live yet in 17 months which was what I did every week for the last 15 years. My goal is to get back on the stage in 2018 with musician ear plugs of course.

My heart goes out to anyone who is suffering right now. I know how soul destroying and horrible it is and no one really understands. I am here to tell you I understand. I am also here to tell you it will get better. Time is the healer. The brain when it is ready starts to care less and wants to go back out into the world and enjoy all the things you love to to do.

Below is an article about me on foxlive8 about the final release of my album and my struggle with tinnitus.

http://www.fox8live.com/story/37137...er-to-look-out-for-in-2018#.WkNzPXD_cA4.email

My website is www.darryljohn.com

All the music and music videos was finished before my onset of tinnitus and I had a very positive vibe and a fantastic life before my tinnitus odyssey. In 2018 I am not going to let tinnitus stop me from following my dreams any more and will be writing and recording and producing new music.

Music at low levels on all the time is a great help. Masking is a short term distraction but positive music at low levels is a great way for your brain to start to let go of the grip of tinnitus has on you. Below is a link to my story which took a lot of courage to put out in the world that I have tinnitus as a singer songwriter and carry on doing what I love. I hope my music can help you it just a little way .Expect a little miracle is my favourite song and it has been the best medicine for me to see my baby daughter dancing to it and clapping at the end. feel free to share my story below and if anyone wants more advice on accepting and going for habituation please email at info@darryljohn.com . I do not look at the forums or search for a cure anymore . I try my best to get on with my life and love my beautiful wife and baby daughter. Another great man helping people with tinnitus is Julian Cowan. He is all over youtube and amazing support. If you are really suffering I know you can do it and get better. Good luck!!!!!!

Love and gratitude
Darryl John

 

Great story @Darryl John thanks for giving us some hope