The Positives of Tinnitus

Hey guys.
As of late I've started to feel a lot better tinnitus wise and I'm visiting this page less frequently.
What strikes me now, but also back when I spam visited tinnitus sites in sheer desperation and mostly in search of hope, is how for every 1 positive post, there would be 5 negatives. Much desperation, not so much hope.
Now, I know I can provide with 5 negatives too, yet here goes the one. And as this is the support section I hope you guys can support me in doing so!

Basically I want to know the positives tinnitus has provided you with.
Note the answer cannot be "Nothing", as this is not what I'm asking for. I want you to ask yourself the question and despite the bad, tell us the good - Only positives.

Personally I've started eating healthier, taking better care of myself, and started exersizing again. It probably knocked a bit of common sense into my head too, and it provided me with a lot of you lovely people!

 

I have started taking better care of myself, my body and mind, and everything becomes almost too easy with my new improved perspective.

"Lifting this 200 lbs weight? Pssht, that's easy I have dealt with tinnitus!"

Washing the dishes, which previously caused me headaches, I now do with a smile on my face as the sounds(due to my Hyperacusis) become less and less loud. I wake up everyday just wanting to discover what new improvements I have made.

All of this of course transmit itself, without my control, to other areas of my life. How the hell did I manage to defeat this illness AND become better in other areas of my life?

 

I have to say I have changed a lot since my t. I still hate it but before my t I was not close with my parents, sister, I was an ass in general and have never been a very good boyfriend to girls I dated. Today my parents and I are closer than ever I my sister and I are closer. My friends and I have better relationships than in the past. I. Don't want it to sound like I was an awful person because I was not. I just appreciate the value in my life more than I ever did. I don't let a day or moment go to waste. I'm completely present in everything I do and realize I'm an incredibly lucky person even
with t. And I think to get over t you have to look at the positives.

 

Reading people's stories and experiences about tinnitus improve my English.

 

T has taught me a lesson in life. I have to learn patience and be willing to flow, adjust and adapt instead of fighting or resisting things I cannot control. T forced me to learn new life's skills to cope with challenges in life. I learned how cognitive distortions (in CBT) can wreck havoc in a person's emotional life. I learn to think more positively and realistically.

I have become a better husband & father, a better family man. During my initial struggle with tinnitus, suffering daily from repeated attacks from T, H, A & P, and the strong negative emotions associated with these, it dawned on me that besides ruining my life, tinnitus was beginning to ruin the great relationship I had with my family members. Imagining tinnitus being my most hated foe & bully, I made a conscious effort to fight back and not let the bully tinnitus ruin my family too. I told myself if I have to live like 'hell' with tinnitus, I want to make sure my family would live like 'heaven' in return. I told myself I had to soldier on with this tremendous suffering, Heaven or Hell, for my family and love ones who have to depend on me. I told myself I would treat my body as if it were 'dead' to bodily sensations and sufferings (ignoring the pain, the fear, the depression and what have u), but that this 'dead' body will 'compost' itself to benefit my family and children, much like a parent plant who has to compost itself to provide the nourishments to the seedling plants generating around the composted parent plant. It was a silly thought, but it helped me bear with the daily sufferings.

I made extra effort to be nice to everyone, particularly my spouse. I would massage my spouse daily while an ipod was masking my tinnitus. This was one of the many 'mini-breaks' I used to win my life back. The family sensed the difference and my effort. They returned in kind what I did to them. The result was affection and harmony in the family, a light in my life while being bombarded daily by tinnitus darkness.

Now with my life back to normal, I learn to appreciate my family a lot more and won't easily let any negatives to ruin the family harmony. Lately, my wife also develop T. Guess what, she finds in me a good enough coach and mentor to help her accept her ringing. At least she knows I survive. LOL. She learns to continue to enjoy her life (dancing and singing) despite the ringing. If my T & H experience can help shield her from much suffering, then my T & H experience of horror is well worth it.

 

1. I've become far more compassionate and understanding of other's pain and/or struggles.
-- I used to be a 'sucks to by you' kind of guy.
-- now I look for ways to help others and love doing it
2. I've learned to take a broader perspective of stressful issues
-- look at the big picture; is this really worth getting upset about?
-- I learned to detect when I'm getting stressed (t goes up); and what to do about it
-- less stress is best
3. I learned there is a very deep, powerful peace availed to all in this life (now) and a much brighter future for those who so choose
4. I learned to sleep with a beeeeeeeeep in my head
-- you can look at the humorous side of just about anything
5. I found a great bunch of people on TT!!
-- like the one who started this thread; thanx Tenna!

 

Great question and thread. I have only had T for about three months and during this time I have already started to correct my posture (especially forward head posture), eat better and think about my life, work and relationships deeper. I have played around with an idea, that when I got T, it created two different alternative 'life paths'. One where I didn't have T and where I would not have made any life changes. The other one is with T, but with all the life changes I have started. It's interesting and in a way positivelly inspiring to speculate which one could lead to a better future? I don't know, but my gut feeling says the latter one.

 

Wauw, I'm lost for words, this is amazing.
Reading gave me the goosebumps, the good kind of chills!

 

I guess I don't have such a fear of dying any more.

 

If I get cured it will be like getting another life, that will be AMAZING

If i have to come up with something.. I guess it would be that you get a more clear view of what really matters in life. Going clubbing is not important. I have not missed it at all lol.

Sucks that I had to get tinnitus to realize that

 

First of all, @Tenna: this is a great thread
Ive learnt many things from tinnitus:
1) When you are young you think that your body and health are going to stay with you forever. Your sense of risk is lower and therefore you are more prone to harming yourself. I have learnt now that I too will get old, and although I cant fully prevent all the health problems I can do some things to keep myself healthy. I always ate a lot of sugar ( I never gained weight because of it so it wasnt a problem) but I realize now that the effect is cumulative. Therefore I eat less sugar and snack less.
2) I always knew that bad things such as accidents, divorces, deaths of close one, dangerous health issues happened to people but they happened to some people called "them", not to me. Now I realize that this things happen to me too. I too am mortal, I will die one day. Life will hit me in the face and I will have to deal with things that I may think I wont overcome. The best I can do is live in the moment and not focus on the future, and if these things happen, carry on.
3) Ive realized that although you can change some thinking patterns, you can't fundamentally change your personality. Some people are larger than others, and they can work out and eat healthy food but they cant fundamentally change their body type (same goes for small people, people with large hips, short legs etc.). Its the same with the brain. Thinking and worldview has a lot to do with genetics and physiology and I cant change my personality. If I am naturally prone to more negative thinking, thats just who I am. By that I mean attitude towards life in general, eg. how one perceives philosophical ideas, religion and so on.
4) I have become more tolerant and empathic and I realize a bit what its like to suffer. If I want to become a chaplain, this qualities are very important. Also I suppose Im less naive, which will also help in my career.

 

All I can say is wow

 

It has been just over a month since my symptoms appeared, and this has been the most difficult time of my life. In that time, and because of this great difficulty, I have re-joined my sangha (Buddhist community) reconnected with my teacher there and have been meditating again almost every day. I am also going to restart the volunteer work I have done in the past with hospice caregiving. These were all things that had been part of my life, but that I then drifted away from. Now, with my symptoms, I am returning to them and to a much better way of life than the one I had settled into before.

Any arrogance that I had in me before feels completely gone. I am humbled.

I feel so much more compassion toward people everywhere. And so much love and appreciation for my friends and family. In fact, I think my poor wife is a little freaked out by all the attention I'm giving her now!

I thought before this that I knew what suffering was. Now, I really do know. And that, I believe, is an experience from which true wisdom can come.

Thank you Tenna, for starting this thread. Wonderful stuff!

 

Not sure if this is what you mean @Stina and forgive me if I'm wrong but I suffered from depression since I was about ten years old. It's genetic for me my mother father uncles etc all of them have issues withit. I was always scared and my attitude toward life was not great. Over the last three or four years I started looking into something called positive psychology and what it's suppose to do is rewire your brain to see more positively. I can honestly say it's
helped me a great deal where more conventional treatments failed. My mother even stopped taking pills for her depression. Recently first time in many years. I think this pos psychology is helping me get through this tough moment. there's lots of interesting stuff online about it.
I was able to change the way I think and see the world

 

yes I had (stll have) trouble explaining what I mean. What I wanted to say is that some people are naturally more calm, more relaxed, and then there are the people who are a bit more nervous. Of course I can think positive and I do too, but then again I think that negative emotions are also a part of life and its normal to feel them. I will never be very energetic or pnly see the positive, because that is simply how my brain works. By that I mean life in general, eg. philosophy, politics, relationships and so on. I actually said that because most people my age (or at least the ones I know) are what I call a bit naive (eg. believing in changing the world, believing that "everything is love" and so on). I realize now that will never think like that, and I dont want to. In a way I believe it will help me better to accept problems, because I accept that life is hard, nobody said it was going to be easy and you are just going to have to live with it.
I dont know if this is more clear but hey I tried

 

I see what your saying but it is those who are crazy enough to believe they can change the world that often do.

 

true but what people dont speak about it how hard it is and how much work, suffering and sacrifice it needs. nobody speaks about that and sooner or later young people will realize that life is not all roses and chocolates and chaning the world might mean being beaten down and carrying on anyway.

 

I can't speak for others but those things you listed are what drives me to do the things I do. Your right most people don't know what it entails and I probably am not aware of all of it myself. What I know is personally I have to try in my life I couldn't imagine living another way. When I do and I think I can just live a normal relaxed life. That makes me sad. I love the stress and pressure that gets put on me when I'm striving foe something difficult. Which I was gonna go to law school next year lol but the t had other ideas. I have no choice but to keep pushing forward.

 

sure but you know thats just cahing you world. This is a big deal too, but its always easier to focus on your own life and problems. When I said change the world I literally meant chaning the world. For example one person cant change the political course in a country, or stop povety or make Africa rich. it needs a larger social activity and so on. I dont think one person can change that. But of course you can contribute, do smth good and that will be your part It will change smth, but it will probably just be more local.
Anyway this is off topic so maybe we shouldnt continue this because this is off topic

 

T makes me special among my doctors. Because they are unable to find out the cause and cure of my T.

 

Positive side to having tinnitus for me is not to sweat the small stuff anymore, puts insignificant issues into prospective. For example a few months before getting tinnitus I was stressing out on an upcoming 25th birthday, quarter life crisis, worried I hadn't achieved all my goals, worried my youth was passing me by etc..........I'm now almost 27, couldn't care less where I am in life, I'm just happy that I'm out of the misery I was in before.

 

Sad but true.

 

Wonderful positives from you post, Mark. I particularly agree with point 1. I used to be someone minding my own business. After all I suffered decades of anxiety/panic disorder prior to T and my mind tended to worry about my own problems. With my T journey, I received so much kind & unselfish help from many caring members. It warms the heart to realize so many people care about helping suffering strangers from all corners of the earth. Now that I am getting better, I learn to give back to help out suffering newer sufferers. Reaching out and caring for others in suffering is one of the highest form of personal fulfillments, much more than achieving career success or personal wealth. In that sense, the caring members here and in other support forums are living examples of the best attribute of humanity. The world is a better place because people care about other people.

 

After developing T, I began to realize the importance of self care. Before T, I would always be busy and stressed. I'd never really focus on my physical and emotional needs of being healthy. T has taught me to slow down, enjoy the good things in life, and really take care of what I have.

 

Strict getting things done ethic, Always do my run, always do my workout. even my nutrition has improved! I look way better and am making way more friends. I am no longer killing time am heading in directions I needed to go to.
but the best part is the hope, never lose hope. If your new to T use white noise it really helps and do not despair, your stronger than you think.

Here have some hope- vagus nerve stimulation cure Tinnitus. waiting on FDA approval

Tinnitus Research - General Overview

 

I wanted to post this, originally put it the positivity thread but I think it fits better here. Somehow t has made me a better person then I was. I've been through other life changing events and it seems I took the wrong lesson away from those. This may be an unpopular opinion on here but If I lose my t I sometimes fear losing who I have become and going back to who I was. I found this quote by the poet RUMI which I think describes my situation nicely.


"The wound is the place where the light enters you".

 

This does look promising

 

I love that quote @cullenbohannon. I know how you feel, in a way. I don't particularly want my T per se, but I can see (now that I have some distance and habituation) all the good changes it's spurred me to make. I wonder if it went away if I'd go back to being afraid of getting it again - if I'd get too hooked on silence and its comfort. Tinnitus has turned into kind of a daily meditation for me, a little reminder to keep renewing the lessons it's giving me in acceptance, perseverance, kindness and being in the present.

 

Since going through the early months of suffering and just coming out on the other side a bit, I find that my heart breaks more easily for those in pain or need, that I feel more deeply for those I love, and that I am grateful everyday that it is not MS or blindness or some other heartbreaking, life altering disease but something that allows me to live.

Thanks for reminding me of this...

 

Wow thats awesome