The Small Steps We Sometimes Have to Take...

Reading was always one of my great pleasures. I enjoyed my quiet hours with a book.

When the “t” kicked in five months ago I would sit down, try to read, and couldn’t focus. (Not unusual, I know, and just another thing that kept the panic going.) I looked at my shelves of books, read and unread, and thought I would never be able to concentrate enough to get through a book again.

Then I found one from my childhood. It was one of the “Hardy Boys” mysteries, aimed at readers decades younger than myself.

I sat down with it and slowly began to read through it, sometimes only a page at a time. It was simple, uncomplicated material, but with it, I showed myself that I could focus on a book -- any book -- even if it was just that page or two.

I kept my reading matter undemanding for a while, and have since worked my way back up to a lot of my “regular stuff.” This aspect of it feels so much better now, than it did five months ago, even though some days remain challenging. Some of the YouTube sound enrichment videos I’ve found have been helpful, if I feel I need one playing in the background to take the edge off.

There are other things that I know will need to be approached in this same way – starting at a point that might require less from me, and then trying to find a path to work forward.

That seems to be the way it can go with this thing.

I don’t know what my success rate will be.

But for me (at least at the point where I am now) it’s the idea of “working forward” that seems important.

I hope this post can provide a little boost of confidence for someone, in some manner, with whatever you might be finding difficult for you today.


Mystery Reader

 

Distraction helps you to reach habitation...your brain will learn to ignore your T as just another back ground noise to ignore...think about it...when people drive down the road do they pay attention to the road noise ??? No your brain tunes it out as another back ground noise to ignore...

 

I am 5 months in and I couldn’t of have wrote this. I have been reading the last few months and I find that it forces me to concentrate. When I find that I am not following the reading I force myself to focus back in.

 

For a long time after tinnitus onset I was not able to read. Being able again to read while having tinnitus is a milestone in the life of a tinnitus sufferer. I would say it's a big step we have to take, not a small step.

 

@Mystery Reader

I found myself smiling while reading your post. You username says it all, it is apparent that you love to read. I remember reading the Nancy Drew mysteries when I was much, much younger.

I am so very happy for you, Mystery Reader.

I find myself seeking out threads that focus on positivity, this one is spot on.

My confidence has been boosted! Thank-you.

 

I love this post Emma, I’m an avid reader. It’s truly one of my passions. Unfortunately since I’ve had T I can’t read, i managed to finish a book I was reading before all of this but I will have to read it again as I really didn’t take the book in. My concentration is shot and it makes me angry especially as I miss reading dearly.
This post gives me hope though, so thank you for that.

 

@Mystery Reader

I’m so glad you were able to read again as it appears you do love to read. I will be hoping that you continue to enjoy many more books.

@Jcb

I, too, enjoy reading very much and it’s something I haven’t been able to do since T. I find concentrating very difficult for many of the contemplative things I use to love to do, and that makes me angry as well.
I hope one day we will both be able to read again

 

@TracyJS @Jcb
Small steps, simple material. It's what helped get me to the point where I am with reading, although it has taken some time and there is still more to do. It has worked for me thus far, though, and I'll bet it can work for you, as well!

@Dana
I agree -- it is a big step. It has just taken me smaller steps to get to what feels like a big step!

 

Yes me too, I’m hopeful indeed. We can both keep trying and hopefully get over this hurdle. What books do you like to read?

 

I know, I will keep trying and look forward to getting my reading groove back

 

Actually, I like to read a lot of non fiction. My field is/was psychology so I would read many books in my field.
How about you?

 

I love psychology and sociology in general. I have eclectic taste in most things including books, I do like fiction, supernatural and horrors the most I think.

 

I have not been reading that much lately, as I have some vision problems, but for the past few weeks I have been enjoying audio books almost every day, which can be borrowed from the public library via CD's or E-audio, and there are other ways to access them as well.

Coloring, especially the popular Adult Coloring books, is also an excellent way to relax. I started doing this occasionally, a couple of months ago.

For some time I've wanted to brush up my handwriting, so I bought several books for this purpose, written for grade-school children, to practice with, and it worked.

Tinnitus can be very daunting, as we all know too well, but it can also open us up to new ways of learning how to cope with problems.