Tinnitus Got Worse Recently — Will You Not Be Bothered by the Noise When You Are Habituated?

[jillyn]

Hello. I've had tinnitus for a year now and it's recently got much worse. I'm starting to accept this as a reality now, trying to do everything I can to stay positive.

What I really need to know regarding habituation is the following.

I know with habituation the noise is still there, however I'm baffled that people can ignore or not be bothered by the loud noise at night or first thing in the morning when they habituate. Is this possible?

My tinnitus is deafening first thing in the morning. I've tried masking at night but I find my tinnitus competes with the masking sounds and makes it even more distressing.

Please positive comments only please. Not in a good mental place at the moment as a result of this. Thank you.

 

[Bill Bauer]

recently got much worse

How recent? Temporary spikes can last for over three months. Having said that, if you don't experience any fading during the first 4-6 weeks of a spike, it is not a good sign.

Do you know what might have caused your tinnitus to get worse?

 

[Julien87]

Hello Jillyn. What made it worse recently?
I hope your tinnitus will be back to its prior level or will fade away. Keep hope.

 

[another sean]

Yes, it's possible to habituate and not be bothered by tinnitus. I would avoid masking. I think it interferes with your brain habituating. I never masked once and I habituated pretty quickly.

 

[Aaron44126]

I know with habituation the noise is still there, however I'm baffled that people can ignore or not be bothered by the loud noise at night or first thing in the morning when they habituate. Is this possible?

That's basically what habituation is. Early on I didn't think that it would be possible for me. I noticed the sound constantly and couldn't help but pay attention to it, and that led to issues that many others deal with early on (bad sleep, depression, etc.). It took a while, but... Now, sometimes I notice it right when I wake up, but more often find that I am a few hours into the day before I even "realize" that the tinnitus sound is hanging around. It's like it has moved way down the priority list of things for my brain to be worried about. I do always notice it when going to sleep. Sometimes it is worse than others but I've gotten to the point where it isn't a bother even when I do notice it.

Basically you have to change your mindset to accept the tinnitus as the "new normal" and then your mind will start to be able to let go of it. I know it is is not as simple as "deciding to do it" and flipping a switch. For most people it comes over time. I practiced some OCD/CBT techniques and I think that helped.

 

[erik]

A refrigerator always makes sound but that doesn't mean you constantly hear it. Though the sound is there, your brain filters it out and ignores it. That is essentially habituation. Eventually, your brain starts to ignore your T even though it is still there. Doesn't sound plausible but it does happen.

It took me about 1.5 years before it started to happen. First, I wouldn't notice it a little at a time and then more as the months passed. I always used a white noise generator to sleep at night for my first 2 years or so with T and I think it helped me quite a bit. We are all different and there is not timetable one size that fits all. Even years later I have times where I am annoyed by my loud tinnitus but for the most part, it bothers me about 10% of what it used to back in the early days.