You Can Do It Too — My Tips to Beating Tinnitus!

This is my story of tinnitus and the road to habituation and normality.

I am a Medical Doctor who developed severe tinnitus shortly after commencing the SSRI Lexapro (Escitalopram) after a period of prolonged work stress.

I have no doubt the SSRI precipitated the tinnitus which is backed up by recent studies demonstrating increased serum Serotonin levels having an excitatory effect on the neurons within the Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus which is a known sound processing area in the brain stem that is intimately involved in the generation of the tinnitus perception.

Tinnitus is a reported adverse effect in 1-2% of people on SSRIs and I suspect those that develop tinnitus on SSRIs probably have a genetic predisposition.

My tinnitus started about 5 days after commencing a low dose of Lexapro which I immediately stopped in the hope it would go away. To my dismay and absolute horror, it DIDN’T go away.

My tinnitus is a very loud high pitch electrical sound which is always present. Due to its extremely high frequency, when I choose to hear it (note my choice of word ‘choose’ which I will elaborate upon later) I can hear it anywhere including on a plane with the engines at full throttle.

My initial reaction to the tinnitus was extremely negative and one verging on panic. I despised the noise and felt my life was ruined. I could not envisage being able to concentrate or enjoy anything with this blaring @@##G constant loud noise in my head. Getting through a day’s work was extremely taxing and it was putting great strain on my already fragile mental state and relationships.

My days were spent obsessing over the sound and my already tired mind was working overtime desperate for ways to make the sound stop. It was 24/24 torture with no respite. Believe me over a 12 month period, I tried everything including Mindfulness (this was excruciating especially in a quiet room!), Professional CBT, Psychotherapy, various supplements, DIY Acoustic Modulation Reset, EFT Tapping (Yes – I tried this!) and Hearing aids with white noise. My whole life revolved around trying to get this noise to stop.

By the 12-18 month mark, I was mentally and physically EXHAUSTED. I guess you could call it Capitulation where I had tried absolutely everything to no avail. The tinnitus was still there as loud and high pitched as ever.

In hindsight, the capitulation phase ended up being the turning point. It was essentially where my mind became truly resigned there was NOTHING I could do to make the tinnitus go away. I was exhausted and had nothing left to fight. I pretty much SURRENDERED to the tinnitus. I was at the lowest of lows and it was the darkest of all dark periods in my life.

Following Capitulation, I learnt to ACCEPT the tinnitus was here to stay and this was the beginning of my recovery. The path was not easy with many ups and downs but slowly but surely I spent less of the day obsessing about the tinnitus and started to experience short periods of the day where I didn’t notice the tinnitus. Seconds of not noticing the tinnitus became minutes which became hours. You get the idea.

Today, 4 years later I still am conscious of the tinnitus at times during the day especially in a quiet environment however because it doesn’t elicit any emotional reaction, I get on with what I’m doing and before I know it, I have forgotten about it and don’t even know its there. I can divert my attention and choose not to hear it.

I have realized with the aid of time that tinnitus is not a disability or a life sentence and as others have said it’s just a part of me. It does not stop me from doing anything I want to do or enjoying the things I like to do.

It’s funny when you finally reach this mindset and make peace with your tinnitus, it paradoxically becomes less intrusive and you don’t even notice for most of the day as your mind is focusing on other things and getting on with life. Rather than looking inwards, your mind starts to look outwards again and life becomes as good or better than before tinnitus.

I never thought it would happen to me but I guess that is what is called habituation.

Some Tips that I have learnt along the way to help those that are struggling –

1. Time and keeping busy

Time is perhaps the most important healer of all. Be patient and kind to yourself. It takes time for your mind and body to come to terms with this new foreign intruder. Habituation will happen. Try and keep yourself busy and don’t withdraw from life. Keep going to work, keep going out with friends, keep doing the things you used to enjoy, no matter how hard. The more you can keep your mind occupied, the less time it has to focus on the tinnitus and the more the tinnitus will be pushed back into the background. It is very hard at first but you have to keep persisting. I didn’t think I would be able to play competitive tennis as I didn’t think I would be able to concentrate. It’s no problem at all. I don’t even notice the tinnitus when I play now as I am 100% focused on the match.

2. Background Sound

Good for quiet environment e.g., Bedroom at home. Invest in a small Bluetooth speaker or radio. Play some pleasant soft background sounds eg. running stream or soothing music. This helps your mind refocus away from the tinnitus and listen to something else and is all part of the Habituation process. I still play the sound of a running stream when I go to sleep to take the edge of the tinnitus but I really can sleep without it nowadays.

3. Listen to Music via Headphones before bed.

After long and exhausting days struggling with the tinnitus, I found some respite lying in bed with headphones listening to some soothing music. The music drowns out the tinnitus and if you start focusing on the music, you quickly forget about the tinnitus. This was invaluable in the first 12 months as it gave me some respite from the 24/24 sound and calmed me down before sleeping.

4. Swimming

I found swimming very useful. Try to swim 30 minutes every day if possible. With all the sounds of the water, I would lose the tinnitus perception and get some respite. I also found exercise very therapeutic and certainly helped decrease my arousal levels and calm my sympathetic nervous system. I felt more chilled after each swim and it just helped me cope better.

5. Reading success stories on Tinnitus Talk

I found reading’s peoples experiences with tinnitus and how they got through it very useful and gave me hope to hang in there during the dark times. Billie48’s ‘From Darkness to light’ is particularly inspiring and I would have this printed out and read this a lot during my difficult days – Thank you Billie48.

Be mindful however to not spend countless hours on the forum as the more you are reading and thinking about tinnitus, the more your mind is focusing on the tinnitus and not learning to put it into the background / subconscious.

6. Arches Tinnitus Formula

It appears people have variable success with this supplement (Ginkgo Biloba extract, Zinc and Garlic). I gave this a go and still take it twice a day. I’m not sure whether it’s just a placebo effect but it may have decreased the intensity of the tinnitus by 10-20%. I probably can do without it now.

7. Try and think positive

I didn’t think I would ever come to terms with my tinnitus or ever live a happy normal life again. Keep telling yourself no matter how bad things may seem, that you will get better. You just have to give yourself time to heal and for your mind to adjust.


I sincerely hope all of the above has been of some use to those tinnitus sufferers out there and as my username states ‘You Can do It!’

 

@Youcandoit
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your success story. I am still in the process of getting closer to fine and reading the experience of someone else who has gone through that recovery arc is soothing and affirming.

Thanks again

 

@Youcandoit

Thank you for your positive post it can be invaluable to new sufferers to read that things can and do get better

Also you are so right that you should only read success stories, especially if you are anxious. I have been up and down especially in the earlier days ( have had t since early August 2019) but even though it hasn’t been long I have come to terms with this disease and because I’ve accepted it, I feel it’s helped on my road to recovery, although this can be painstakingly slow butI’m determined it WILL happen, already I am having times where it’s gone and this is having a positive effect.

Anyway I hope you yourself continue on the road to recovery and my very best wishes to you and to all who are suffering from this xx

 

Congrats on the recovery, and sharing your positive message.

Just want to point out that this was a medication induced tinnitus. For noise induced, I would caution against daily use of headphones as you did.

https://onezero.medium.com/why-airp...-especially-bad-for-your-hearing-20f32b6e02e2

 

Habituation is not "beating tinnitus".

Habituation is accepting it, basically capitulating to it.

 

You are correct. I should say listen to soft music with headphones, especially if your tinnitus is noise induced as loud music could make it worse.

 

Although you have a point it's not strictly true. When a person fully habituates no matter what the level it will not bother them. Of course there are limitations to habituation but this often depends on the individual and whether they will accept it? If they want a cure and nothing else is acceptable, with this attitude they will never come to terms with their tinnitus.

To prove my point: Ask family members, people at work or school, friend etc if they have every experienced tinnitus. You will probably be told: I have that but just ignore it. Mine plays a tune but it doesn't bother me. It used to bother at first now I just ignore it. These people have all habituated.

As I said, their are limitations to habituation because for some people it is too severe and intrusive, and may require additional help to make their life more tolerable but this doesn't mean they have habituated.

Michael

 

Posts like these give me hope. Congratulations on getting where you are today.

 

Do you think the stress played any part in causing the tinnitus? Or was it 100% the drug in your opinion?

 

I’m really happy for you, @Youcandoit. Thanks for checking in and writing your success story as it will help many people. Take care of yourself going forward.

 

Always love a success story! Sad that people are already trying to rain on your parade.

Beating tinnitus doesn’t mean you are cured. It means that it doesn’t affect your life to the point where it has a significant impact. If you got there, then you are doing fine!

I wish people could just be happy for others who have worked through their tinnitus. I know that’s too much to ask here on Tinnitus Talk. People just love to drag others down with them.

100% agree with #5!

 

I'm habituated. It still bothers me 24x7.

habituate | həˈbiCHəˌwāt | verb
become accustomed or used to something​

I am accustomed to my tinnitus. It does not surprise me, ever. Still bothers me.

My 1h commute to work? Same thing. I'm used to it. No surprise when the Navigation app in the car says ETA 1h. Bothers me every day.

I wouldn't equate habituation to "does not bother".

 

Would you say it inhibits you from enjoying your life on a daily basis?

 

I guess I can’t be 100% sure, but the tinnitus started within 5 days of commencing the SSRI with many reports describing similar onset. I had never had tinnitus before. A subsequent study published in 2018 confirmed the link between increased serotonin levels and increased dorsal cochlear nucleus activity which makes sense.

I would emphasize however the vast majority of individuals commencing an SSRI do not get this side effect.

 

Thank you everyone for the kind and caring words. It is much appreciated. My aim in posting my story is to give hope to those that are currently having a difficult time.

I also wanted to pass on my experience regarding practical things one can do to assist their recovery.

 

This is certainly true and a very attainable state. It does take time though and the path may be different for everyone. Be patient and kind to yourself.

 

Yes.
It doesn't mean I can't enjoy anything at all, but the impact is significant. I have no anxiety about it though.

 

A new success story! Thank you so so so much. This is exactly what I needed to hear today.

I'm at the one year mark and my T has gone from mild to moderate. I can hear it the car on the motorway with the radio on. Fortunately the whir of the computer fans at work is of the right frequency to cover it up reasonably well, so I get some respite during the day, otherwise I would have lost the plot by now.

It's so encouraging to read a story where the improvements don't start until the 12-18 month mark. Recently a lot of the success stories have been upsetting me because the improvements began early on, or the T wasn't even that bad to start with. I'm starting to feel like the success stories don't apply to me. Also I recently realised that a LOT of people on this forum only hear their T in quiet rooms. They say shit like "at one point I even started to hear it outdoors" or "I can even hear it over the TV" and it has started to make me angry. Like omg you don't know how good you have it – forget it and go out and live your life.

Then again there are people with severe T probably looking at me with my moderate T and thinking "just get over it", so I try not to judge.

Sorry for the ranting, but I'm at my lowest point for several months, and I can't think of anything better than opening my phone and seeing a story like this. The fact that you tried all the usual solutions and failed, before eventually starting to make progress, makes me feel more hopeful and less alone. Thank you so so much.

One question, I have avoided SSRIs because I am afraid of making my T worse, but I'm worried if I don't control the anxiety I'll never make progress. Since SSRIs caused your T in the first place, presumably you didn't take them to help with your recovery?

 

Btw @GregCA it sounds like you _haven't_ habituated yet. You are used to it, yes, but I don't think the dictionary definition of habituation is what tinnitus people mean when they say they have habituated.

From all the many many accounts I have read, people who are habituated are genuinely not bothered by their tinnitus. It's not just that they're "used to it". It's that they don't hear it most of the time, and when they do they don't care.

Dr Nagler describes it as a pair of underpants. All day long the material and elastic of your underpants are sending signals to your brain. And yet 90% of the time you are not aware of your underpants at all, and the remaining 10% of the time you don't "cope with" or "deal with" or "learn to live with" your underpants, you just wear your underpants.

I am not habituated myself, and I doubt every single day that I can get there myself, but I absolutely 100% believe that what these people are attesting to is real.

It sounds to me like you have made excellent progress and are well on your way. You may be able to see even further improvements in future.

 

Hi Hotspur2931, I’m very glad you found my story useful. I know it’s very tough, but hang in there as you will get better!

Believe me, my tinnitus is loud and I can hear it outside all the time if I pay attention to it but nowadays when it comes into my consciousness I just think oh I hear you but I have better things to do and I know I will forget about you again which I do and it drifts out my consciousness again.

I remember it being in my consciousness all the time at the start and going through the same cycle of thought this is terrible etc. but slowly over time you will become less conscious of the tinnitus. It’s as if your mind goes oh you again.... I know you’re not going to go away but I’m not worried about you and really I’m a bit bored with you and I have better things to do! Then Guess what? You do actually forget about and start thinking about other things and it’s no longer in your consciousness!

It does however take time for your mind to reach this state and Im sure it’s different for everyone. As you have noted, it took me 12-18 months before I started noticing short periods of the day where I had forgotten about the tinnitus. Hence also my advice to try and keep busy no matter how difficult as it gives your mind something else to focus on.

Watching TV was very hard for me initially, but you will find once your mind starts not worrying about the tinnitus so much you will get lost in the tv program and completely forget about the tinnitus!

With regards to SSRIs, best to speak to your doctor / health professional about your concerns.

Hang in there, things do get better!

 

Thank you so much. I am reading this on a train with tinnitus blaring over the engine and crying. My mind OBSESSES over the T every minute of every day, even when I can't hear it. It's so hard to see how I can let go of it when it's on my mind 24/7 but I will try to have faith. The way people describe habituation, it does sound so normal and achievable, I just hope I can find a way to remove whatever mental blockages are stopping me from getting the process started.

The thing that gives me hope is that three years ago I went through a bad break up with someone who worked in my office and was part of my friendship group so there was no escape. It wasn't as bad as T, but he – and the hurt of rejection – was on my mind 24/7 for maybe two years. I didn't do any of the things you're supposed to do either – I allowed myself to hope, I allowed myself to obsess, I allowed myself plenty of contact with him, the object of my pain. I still can't say how it happened, but somehow 3 years later it is a tiny little thing in my life, and I can honestly say I am happy that it happened. So I'm trying to take heart from that and realise that maybe I am someone that takes a long time to accept things and move on, but that I will get there eventually. I realise heartbreak and tinnitus are not the same things, but there are parallels. Both involve a grieving process, both involve accepting something you find unacceptable, and both involve stepping into a new reality that you cannot fathom ever being ok with. And yes both involve a battle with obsessive thoughts and feelings of "why me".