Hi all. I've always maintained that keeping busy and active is the best way forward in dealing with tinnitus. Constant distraction allows me to go for lengthy periods without being aware of my tinnitus. My problem though is those times when I just want to sit and relax and not have to think about anything in particular. This is when my T sound comes to the fore which can make it hard to unwind and just chill. This is also why our T seems worse last thing at night and first thing in the morning. It helps me to be outdoors and one of my pleasures is to just sit in the garden with a cold beer and my fountain going just watching the clouds go by. I thought I would try and share this with you. I can't supply the beer but I've made a timelapse video of the clouds from my back garden (and a couple overlooking Erith pier on the Thames where I live). I've added some (hopefully) relaxing music and I've recorded the sound of my fountain which I've also added as I know a lot of us find the sound of water very calming. The video is about 30 mins long.
Let me know what you think. It's not going to win any BAFTAs but any suggestions as to how it could be improved would be welcome.
I will have a view, thanks. We have to be careful though - keeping busy to distract has led me to bordering on chronic fatigue whichmakes tinnitus worse 😊
Hi, I totally get this. I have always been an incredibly busy person. After an exacerbation of arthritis everything that I used to do is an absolute chore and I am permanently pooped trying to do all the things that used to distract me and yes my tinnitus has become more problematic. Oh, the joys!!
Hi Lindsay. Yes I agree. Trying to keep on the go all the time to keep the T at bay can be very tiring. That's why we also need to find a way to relax and unwind while still being distracted away from our T. For me it's being outside just listening to the birds and having my fountain going. If you live in a really urban area and don't have birds about you can always cheat - there's loads of videos on youtube playing bird songs and water sounds.
I too love the outside - so much ear pain yesterday I couldn't do anything so went to local country park for a walk , and lay in the clover for a bit 😂The sea is my favourite so am planning to move there ( no idea how going to resource it but one needs dreams ).
Interested to watch the video when I get home - can't really do it whilst I'm at work!
Totally agree re the keeping busy thing. I find if I keep my mind occupied and focussed on something I can ignore Mr T's incessant whistling for a while, but it's difficult to maintain that focus for all your waking hours. I went to see a therapist last night for a reiki session - I'm trying to learn how to 'actively relax', whatever that means, as advised by my tinnitus guy. However, laid still in a quiet room and attempting to empty my mind of thoughts just created a massive mental vacuum that the T gleefully rushed in to fill - ggggrrrr!!!
Thank you very much for this John. There is something very therapeutic about this, watching the clouds drift away and imagining stress and worries going with them.The music goes lovely with it and I too love water. Thanks for taking the time and thought to do this. Best wishes
Nice video. and very soothing, myself I enjoy sitting in my old and tatty armchair in the garden listening to the birds singing, it's nice to see the youngsters squabbling and squawking over titbits from their mother, what more can I say, mother nature at her very best.
Had a lovely day yesterday - mixture of relaxing and doing nice enjoyable thints. Tinnitus hated it and today it's awful. Personally , and it's only my opinion , the official line that being busy is best us not only not right for everyone but causes distress to people like me . Never been brave enough to say this - just hope BTA will be OK that I think there are different ways forward for different people
Hi Lindsay6. When it comes to tinnitus I don't think there is an "official line". All we can do is share what works for ourselves. We are all different and different things work for different people. We can probably all agree though that doing those things we find enjoyable is very helpful.
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