Tinnitus vs. My Temptation to Use Headphones: Social Distancing Edition!

So in this dumb post I will be discussing how badly I want to use headphones so I can get that urge out of my system. I'm not going to use them [probably], but the AirPods sitting on my dresser for the past eight months are suddenly looking realllyyy interesting.

I, like most people in the world, am practicing social distancing to avoid contracting/spreading COVID-19. I'm doing so in my parents' house in the suburbs. It's pretty small, and I can hear everything anyone says. So I don't play music or watch videos or anything when I'm home because I don't want my parents to hear since they don't like a lot of the music I listen to. Plus, it makes me uncomfortable to know that my parents can hear everything noise that comes out of my room, which makes it hard to enjoy music/bon appetit YouTube videos.

I've spent most of the past three days in bed, doing literally nothing. I find it really hard to get in a good workout if I don't have music going, so I've barely moved in the past few days, and my body is getting cranky. I've just been re-reading old books and scrolling through social media. Which was cool for the first day, but now I'm tired of reading things! I want to listen to something! I want to listen to a new album while I work on my embroidery! I want to make music! I want to get up and dance! But I can't!! And now I'm very sad and upset.

All of my friends are on FaceTime right now collectively watching a movie except for me because I don't have headphones, and my parents would not appreciate hearing crashes/swearing/yells while they are trying to sleep.

So I'm sitting here, on my bed, singing songs in my head to keep sane. I miss my headphones so so badly mmmohmygoddddd.

Anyways, wash your hands, stay safe, avoid crowds, etc.

 

This is literally me right now. At my parents house in the suburbs. Day 1 out of 21 down.

I brought books with me but my tinnitus is so loud today I can’t concentrate so I’m stuck watching House Hunters because I’ve pretty much seen almost everything on Netflix/Hulu that interests me over these last few months due to being depressed and staying in.

I also brought an adult coloring book with me and wish I could throw on a pair of headphones and catch up on all the new music releases I’ve missed

 

I'm so sorry you can relate. I wound up watching a few episodes of 30 day fiance with my mom yesterday out of sheer boredom, and it felt like my brain was melting.

And I know exactly how you feel with the coloring book--one of my favorite past times used to be drawing while discovering, but I barely do it anymore because of the whole headphone situation. Hopefully all of this will blow over by the summer.....

 

I would stay away from the earbuds. Have you tried watching the video with the subtitles? I have not used earbuds since 2018, and can't say I really miss them.

 

Yeah I do sometimes, but it's not really the same for me. I also like to watch videos/listen to music to podcasts as I'm doing other things which doesnt really work if I have to "read" a video haha.

 

In 20 days you'll know whether or not you have the virus now, and also have a much better sense the rate at which cases are exploding in the US.

This is going to drag on for a long time, though; it will die down, then come back when people relax their distancing, over and over until there's a vaccine. It may come back weaker, it may not; it's less likely to mutate into something more deadly, but there is always an element of randomness in genetic selection.

People need to be ready to be in this for the long haul though; this is less a 28 Days Later style instapocalypse, and more of a slow burn.

@Foamearplugssuck I agree with your username; I think silicone earplugs are cool and good though (and use foam when necessary). I'm just going to say that I cautiously returned to headphone use ~a couple years into tinnitus. I don't use earbuds anymore and the way I use headphones is very different than when I was 15 blasting industrial music at myself at 100db. I don't find they cause me problems speakers at an equal volume wouldn't. Volume is what matters to me, not the source.

This is a controversial subject on here and I'm just going to say that I would agree that using headphones in general with tinnitus is continuing to play with fire after you've already been burned. I also got back on motorcycles after laying one down on pavement, which is definitely a point where a lot of people walk away from them, recognizing them as the insane deathtraps they are.

Similar to tinnitus, that bad bike experience changed how I ride bikes and now I also mostly don't have to touch paved roads; dumping on dirt at 20 is an entirely different deal than going off on a road at even ~35.

 

I listen to music via Spotify and watch TV via Netflix & YouTube TV through my smartphone. The sound is admittedly not great but it's music and TV just the same.

 

Hey, thanks for sharing your perspective/experience. This forum has really spooked me out of wearing headphones, and understandably so, but I don't think I can live like this for more than a few years lol. I think that after I give my ears some more time to rest I will cautiously test out how headphones impact my T, but for now I think it's best to keep them off-limits.

 

I just listen to movie and game soundtracks. Your parents surely can't disapprove of that. Just lay off the rap.

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