What to Do When You Hear Your Tinnitus After Listening to Noise Generator?

[New Guy]

I'm new at this T thing so please forgive the stupidness of this question. I've started reading a book on T and I've read a lot of posts on this forum. I understand that adjusting to T takes time and I'm probably rushing it and I know I'm anxious about it. Telling me to stop being anxious is like telling me not to look when a bright red Ferrari drives down the street with a supermodel, male or female your choice, at the wheel.

I got an oasis s650 2 days ago and play the water noise in the background just below my T and it's helped me a ton. I can find deep thought for brief periods and not focus on the T. The ear fullness is more noticed with the background noise than the T which I think it good.

I think ENT's should be told when diagnosing someone with T to recommend a noise generator to help them find some peace.

Here's the problem.

If I take a shower when I get out of the shower the T is back. If I walk into my basement the T is back. If I go in my garage the T is back. (Yes, this is focusing on the negative. I know it's wrong. Trust me.)

With training I'll to learn to tell myself it's background noise and pay no attention like a car passing or someone leaving the TV on.

How do I get from being freaked out when the noise comes back to being like, "Hey, it's cool!"? I think this is called habituation and takes from 8 months to 2 years in most cases.

What are the baby steps to not freaking out when you are still paying attention to your T (Though everyone says just ignore it)?

 

[Michael B]

The (easier said than done) answers for me are acceptance, distraction & hope. Once I accepted having this condition, a degree of anxiety was reduced. It hasn't reduced my tinnitus to any noticable degree, but it freed me to carry on with my life. Distraction also plays a big part for me. I can have a bad T day (I have many) but as long as I keep busy, I divert my attention from it. When nothing else works, what gets me through the bad days is the hope for a better day tomorrow.

 

[New Guy]

Thanks Michael. That makes a lot of sense though still leaves me with what feels like a mountain ahead. I haven't hit acceptance yet. I'm still in the reeling phase with plenty of anxiety and depression. This forum has been such a huge help to me.

People say get out and do what you love which makes a ton of sense but is harder with my new friend. I've been doing what I love in small doses and trying to stay somewhat productive but it's hard.

You wear noise generators all the time. Right? When you take them off before bed do you notice your t and accept it's there but no big deal?

 

[Michael B]

Thanks Michael. That makes a lot of sense though still leaves me with what feels like a mountain ahead. I haven't hit acceptance yet. I'm still in the reeling phase with plenty of anxiety and depression. This forum has been such a huge help to me.

People say get out and do what you love which makes a ton of sense but is harder with my new friend. I've been doing what I love in small doses and trying to stay somewhat productive but it's hard.

You wear noise generators all the time. Right? When you take them off before bed do you notice your t and accept it's there but no big deal?

When I'm outdoors, I hear it less and I care less. I live in San Diego and the weather allows me that option. It's when I'm indoors that things get tougher, especially in the evenings. But I accept that's the case and I deal with it accordingly. I use a sound machine on my nightstand before bedtime and listen to a mp3 of crickets I downloaded from Sound Oasis called Summer Nights. (I like the crickets sound because it nearly matches my T pitch.) I don't use a noise generator but hopefully someone can answer that question.