Different sounds, anxiety & habituation - Tinnitus UK

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Different sounds, anxiety & habituation

Toronto42 profile image
12 Replies

Hi! I could really use advice from seasoned tinnitus warriors. I have a few questions if you don't mind. I got tinnitus in the most bizarre way but I won't get into details. I had CAT scan last Saturday and patiently waiting for the results.

My tinnitus is all over the place. I've had it for over 4 months and it's been a living nightmare. I have severe night-time and sleeping anxiety but I refused to go on medication. The side effects of pharmaceutical drugs to me it's not worth it despite how I feel.

So here are my questions. How do you cope and habituate to changing tinnitus including fleeting tinnitus? My tinnitus scares me. How many of you have changing tinnitus in terms of tones, frequencies and volume?

Any insight will help. What do you guys do to alleviate night time anxiety? I do meditate but I'm not very good at it. It feels like it's not helping the way it should.

Thanks.

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12 Replies
Rob_M profile image
Rob_M

Good morning, i have Tinnitus 24/7 and yes like everyone else i will have the good and bad days however recently i changed my focus, instead of fearing it i embraced it as a life change and even gave it a name, might sound silly but let me try to explain in written form

Imagine if you will a Cloud going past you in the sky as they go past you each cloud represents a thought so when you think of a certain cloud you have already applied an emotional reaction.

You mentioned it scares you (emotional reaction) what scares you, break it down and keep breaking it down

Anxiety, this to be is future thinking as anxiety lives in the future and we as humans create it, We suddenly start playing a "movie" if you like where your the star the cameraman the director everything in that movie your creating and it build and build like a hamster running on a wheel the more it spins the more you feed it.

Since i came to this realization i discovered there were days I just got on with my daily routine and sometimes i just didn't notice it, i do at the moment because i have applied thought and this has put my focus onto it but like a cloud i know it will eventually drift off

one massive tool i do use and that's a guided meditation app called insight timer i find that very helpful just before bed time

Toronto42 profile image
Toronto42 in reply to Rob_M

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the reply! Great Insight. I know four months is not a long time. It takes quite a while to accept and habituate.

Does your tinnitus change in tone and frequency or is it the same constantly?

I really need to work on my meditation. I know it takes time and practice. How long have you had tinnitus for?

Hope to hear back from you.

Rob_M profile image
Rob_M in reply to Toronto42

Hello

i remember the day very well December the 28th 2016 had it 24/7 since, yes the tone does change from time to time, i notice if i move my jaw or press on parts of my head or jaw i can change the tone.

Guided Meditation, don't think your no good, you're never no good, change your thought process and always ask yourself what do you want and not what you don't, we humans have an awful habit of doing this

I don't want to be fat is a perfect example, if you took out the negative word you have

I want to be fat and that's what your telling yourself on an unconscious level

so i ask myself from time to time, i want silence or i want to think elsewhere

For the meditation, i spend roughly 30 minutes im even thinking of creating my own audio's and the key is, its your time no-one else's, your time to meditate no one else's your time to retrain your brain no-one else's, your time to practice and get better, no one else's. Believe in yourself

There is no such thing as failure because you learn something from the feedback it provides

Toronto42 profile image
Toronto42 in reply to Rob_M

Hi Rob,

Again thanks for the great tips. I'm glad you are coping well. My doctor did prescribe antidepressants but I refuse to take them.

Do you use sound enrichment at night? I prefer anything with water.

Rob_M profile image
Rob_M in reply to Toronto42

Trust me at one point i was in a very dark place, it was that moment i knew i was doing this to myself, it was ME making ME feel this way, i still have good and bad days were all human after all more good than bad because tinnitus will not control me, make the necessary life adjustments, accept it (that bit takes time) avoid noise i always carry a small tube of earplugs on my key chain.

Im lucky and i count that blessing im thankful for it that i can drift off to sleep however before i go to bed i always say to myself, i want to sleep, its time to sleep its time for my body to rest

Like you and i admire that in you i also refuse to take antidepressants

starveycat profile image
starveycat

I always have a radio in my bedroom on all night it used to play classical music now I prefer the sound of the human voice. Yes mine does alter. As I have had it for 30years if it stops I know I'm in trouble as having meni eres syndrome it means vertigo is starting . so I just accept it as being part of bring me

Toronto42 profile image
Toronto42 in reply to starveycat

Hi starveycat,

I use sound enrichment at night. However my anxiety trumps everything. What I find most annoying is fleeting tinnitus and random sounds I hear while I tried to sleep. It amps up my anxiety.

I'm very sorry to hear about your vertigo and Meniere's disease.

Toronto42 profile image
Toronto42 in reply to starveycat

Do you have hearing loss?

starveycat profile image
starveycat in reply to Toronto42

Yes I've lost some but I cope ok

dsh2358 profile image
dsh2358

I experience the changing of times and volume. But I take low dosages of

Xanax 0.25 two times a day and that releases the Anxiety at night and the volume. I to don’t like the medications but after trying every vitamin and mineral

Combination on earth and nothing worked

I started taking low doses. To relieve the horror of this affliction. I had good

Outcome with CBD Oil also it lowered the volume and tones. 1500 MG twice a day

That half a dropper 2 times a day.

Hope this was informative for you!

And good luck

DSH🇺🇸

Toronto42 profile image
Toronto42 in reply to dsh2358

Hi dsh2358,

I totally understand why people may need medication with this ailment. It's not easy to deal with psychologically. My doctor did prescribed antidepressants. However I'm not going to take them.

I do have CBD oil but I only take 3 to 4 drops per night. I know more may be required. I also take something called 5htp as of recently. Night time is the worst. I do play nature sounds.

How I got tinnitus was pretty bizarre. I got a cat-scan last Saturday and I am patiently waiting for the results. I'm praying it's nothing too serious.

Thanks for your time and good luck.

dsh2358 profile image
dsh2358 in reply to Toronto42

👍

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