Driven To Distraction

[Keoni]

I like attending food festivals. Whether indoors or outdoors, the ambiance, hum of the crowd, watching demonstrations as well as tastings and ideas to think about all provide a great distraction from my tinnitus. The only downside is when I get back to the relative quiet of home, my tinnitus becomes much louder. It's as if it's trying to make up for being masked or smothered from the day's event (I know it's not sentient, of course).

A case in point - recently I went to the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham. Listening to music in the car whilst driving to and from this distracting event (hence the ironic title to this piece) as well as the time spent there meant I had almost 7 hours of near total relief. The payback this time made my tinnitus more noticeable for over 2 days.

Although I have come to expect this each time, it won't stop me from attending any kind of function, especially if I can learn something or pick up a bargain. I won't give in to this incessant noise. Like everything in life you have to take the rough with the smooth and just take things one day at a time.

Respectfully submitted,

Keoni

[marc1974]

thats the way its got to be....it will subside

[Curlew]

A nice post. My T is very loud and incessant, but I certainly try not to allow it to stop me doing the things I enjoy. It is precisely by doing the things we enjoy and that give our lives meaning that we can carry on as normally as possible and thus in turn helps us cope with our T. The only thing I won't do now is go to the cinema, sadly films are far too loud now and in an enclosed space, apart from that I do pretty much everything.

Take care and enjoy yourself.

C

[starshine53]

Hi Keoni ! You're right to take every opportunity you get to redirect your concentration away from Tinnitus, I've learned that what you concentrate on grows on you

In time you'll get used to the noise to such an extent you'll be able to sit down and read a book and not be aware of your Tinnitus. There is a name for this state of mind " Habituation" although I prefer to call it familiarity noise. The thing is the noise leaves your ears and then travels to an unknown point in the head giving great relief because your ears are no longer the source of the sound. My Tinnitus appears to come from a point in the back of my head, I've even had moments of utter silence and Tinnitus existing in the same moment ?

I never thought I could ever lead a normal life with Tinnitus but I do now. I can go to bed with loud Tinnitus and be sleep for 7 hours no problem and you will given time. As I've said once the noise moves to a different part of your head other than your ears, Tinnitus is easily lived with.

Best Wishes.