Habituation

[Rossi50]

Can I ask if anyone here has successfully habituated? I'm 6 months into first developing T. It's certainly changed in terms of sound and volume! At first I couldn't even have a conversation without hearing it. Now if I'm engaged in conversation or busy cooking or with radio on etc I don't really hear it. I'm curious in terms of the journey and progress someone may take to habituation. Thanks

[Happyrosie]

well, you are already partly on the way to habituation, it’s happening for you.

We are all different so it happens a at different speeds and intensity. Ive got a chart showing the different stages (but it’s at home and I’m on holiday). I will try and remember to send it on my return.

Other posters may have this and be able to give a more comprehensive reply.

When people have habituated they probably don’t return to this site as it reminds them of a time when they were uncomfortable, but someone else may, I hope, respond to you.

I’ve certainly habituated nd don’t hear Mr T unless I’m ill, or just off a coach or plane, or writing about it here.

[Rossi50 in reply to Happyrosie]

Thanks for your reply. I thought it may be the case that once habituated then you'd be reluctant to engage in forums. I'd say my T is more like static now but I still can't imagine how I can tune it out without 'listening' to another sound whether that's a radio or TV or someone's voice. Appreciate anyone who has to maybe provide some advice guidance or encouragement I'm aware it will take time and I should try too hard but hoping my strategy is starting to work. Six months maybe isn't a long time for habituation and I'm perhaps expecting too much x

[Happyrosie in reply to Rossi50]

Habituation happens in many ways without your having to do anything. Let me give you examples:

In winter when you first put a big overcoat on, it feels uncomfortable and heavy. By the time you’ve got 100 yards down the road, you’ve forgotten about it. Your body realises is there and your attention is suitably diverted. Habituation.

Or another thing, on noise. I play outdoor bowls, and one thing you have to do is be QUIET when someone is preparing to take their shot. But the bowls club is next to a children’s playground and earlier this week the kids were having football practice - cue kids playing and screaming, class leaders shouting, whistles blowing. After half an hour I’d tuned them out and didn’t hear them. Habituation.

So your body knows already how to tune out when it needs to, it may need help and encouragement but it is possible to just let nature do it automatically.

[Melanzanequeen in reply to Happyrosie]

That was such a wonderful description of how it can be done and will give inspiration to many of us having to live with it. My T started at 18 and I'm now 73 and it has increased with years. It's an high pitched sound that lives with me constantly and as many have said, robs you of your silence. Sometimes I can go a day without it affecting me but it's a constant presence, even in noisy traffic and something I have to live with, even though begrudgingly. I hope there will be a cure one day.

[WildIris in reply to Melanzanequeen]

Hi, I'm like you in that it started in my teens and I am now in my early 70s and it has increased a bit as my blood vessels harden (I assume). For me its essential not to think of it as an enemy, but as just a part of what my world sounds like and something of a teacher, so I don't always have to avoid it or mask it or have that flash of oppression because the sound exists.

[Disko]

I’d say I have just about habituated. Like a below reply there are just a few particular times when I notice it. My journey started after I saw Vic Veer’s you tube, that was the mindset technique that worked for me.

The habituation is both in terms of acceptance of T and being fortunately able to train the brain to gradually ignore. If I think back to where I was 6 months ago I never thought I’d get here.

[Karlos99]

I habituated when I learned to control my reaction to my tinnitus. When you accept it, know that it’s not dangerous and realise your brain will adjust you’re on the road to recovery.

In the early days you’re devastated and full of negative emotions. This keeps you in a vicious cycle of fear that makes the brain put your tinnitus to the front of your mind. To break this I used a mantra I used to repeat to myself multiple times a day. I exercised a lot, used sound therapy and mediated. As I started to manage to keep myself calm my brain realised my tinnitus wasn’t a threat and it became easier and easier to live with.

All the best to everyone suffering and know that you can improve

[Terence1955 in reply to Karlos99]

That is so encouraging as i feel despairing at times

[Bridiecat]

my tinnitus is profound high frequency hearing loss related so it will not get any better and over time I have learned to accept this fact that it will not improve. It doesn’t bother me sleeping and I barely notice it during the day if I’m occupied or busy which I normally am, however when I am just sitting quietly reading, knitting et cetera I am aware that it is there but I do not focus on it. I am a therapist and aware of the importance of acceptance in life. When clients are distressed with their lives due to a refusal to accept certain issues or details within their lives, they tend to stay an anxious or depressed mindset and are unable to move forward. I think the key to living with and habituating to tinnitus is accepting the present and possible future permanence of it. Hard to do it most certainly is, but not impossible, as the timeline for acceptance and situation will differ for each person. It’s taken me 4 years of permanent air cabin shshshhhhhhhh noise to acclimatise.

[Tal-r789T in reply to Bridiecat]

I am similar - appears my T is hearing loss induced. It's taking me a while, I've only had HA for about 16-20 months (it was a bit of a false start when I first got them, long story). I am feeling I'm starting to get there, some days good, some bad. I've had an incredibly bad week at work and as a result T is high again. I know what's caused it to spike today. Maybe I'll get there with habituation, but a stressful job I don't think helps!! I think I have started to accept that it's here to stay, I sleep much better now, and with ha can hear again. I think what concerned me so much to start was how worse this could become in coming years and my initial anxiety was exaggerated by the hearing loss which didn't help me at all to start with.

[Bridiecat in reply to Tal-r789T]

My HA’s have helped with the habituation, that is profound hearing loss by 70s in my maternal family side. I expect my mid range to be affected over the next few years and there will be additional tentative sounds with that I expect but refuse to think of that and just live each day as it comes. We’ll get there !!

[Chumpiechops]

I have had T for 3 years and now accept it’s not going to harm me. There are days when I almost forget I have it then notice a difference in the noise, currently the best way to describe it is it sounds like someone is revving a motorbike and I hear it with double glazing in between as a muffler.

I agree, when I attend our local online T support group I do notice it more as everyone talks about it.

Good luck with how you deal with it

[Rabb5]

This is good news getting to this stage at 6 months. I wondered if you’d share your methods/techniques to how you have habituated?

Sounds like you’re going well so keep going with it.

[Rossi50 in reply to Rabb5]

Hi. Well I'm hoping that I'm progressing. In the main I'm using a sleep mask on a night with white noise. Obviously keeping busy and trying and I emphasise trying not to react negatively about it. I must admit though I'm probably thinking or listening for it more than I should. I'm a positive person but it's been difficult as I'm still grieving my mum who died suddenly in January which I think may have attributed to the onset of T. That and a terrible flu! My challenge has been getting to acceptance. Because when you're told it's a symptom of something then I'm someone who needs to know the reason etc or underlying problem!! But I'm taking one day at a time, keeping busy, eating well and exercising!

[Terence1955]

Dear Rossi, may i ask how and what source you found habituation as I would like to try it, yours Terry Mills

[Rossi50 in reply to Terence1955]

Hi I'm really not there yet. But I use a snoozeband with white noise to sleep. Otherwise ensuring I'm busy and I have other background noise avoiding quiet spaces at the moment

[Terence1955 in reply to Rossi50]

Thank you

[Zicaton]

Hi. I sound like I'm on a similar path to you albeit I'm 15 months in. It's got much softer, like air escaping from a tyre. I barely notice it in the morning but it progressively gets louder as the day goes on, particularly after I exercise or been in a stressful meeting at work. I used to practice conscious breathing, 5 seconds in, 7 seconds out. I learnt this after a CBT counselling session. I think that helped alot. Basically you imagine or you actually place post it notes in rooms in your home, when you see them then do the breathing exercise. The distress aspect has gone, it's more annoying if anything else. I know I have to still work on that as the brain is still seeing it as a negative and paying attention

[BlackSwamper]

Since sleep has been the biggest victim of my hearing loss related T, I have found that a pre bedtime routine is very helpful. I have a series of stretches that works the neck and shoulders along with massage, mostly of the head and neck. I also immerse my feet in water as hot as I can stand it (or cold if that’s your preference), which allegedly “resets” the nervous system prior to the stretches. I don’t know if it is anything more than a placebo effect, but it does relax me. Also, no phone or TV an hour and a half prior to bed time, and I read until I start to feel drowsy. I generally get five to six hours sleep, which is good enough for me to feel rested and functional.

My hearing aids, two weeks in, seem to be helping my T levels. It’s definitely addressing my hyperacusis, because after going from 20% to 70% in my right ear, I’m starting to habituate to volume! Habituation since my last major spike starting in March has been incremental but I’ve come a long way since then.

[Untold]

Hi Rossi.This habituation thing is a minefield.None of it makes any sense as tinnitus seems to be enclosed under a single umbrella, when there are many types.

If you have the regular HLIT, I think there's something in it and maybe it possible to find some relief with habituation.

I don't know what's coming next with my T so it's completely impossible to habituate to a scenario like that.

Take yesterday morning for instance, the T was at about a 7 increasing to a 9 with every head, jaw or neck movement,with the usual clicking, crackling and electric shock type zaps.

By the afternoon it was pretty much the same except the baseline T was slightly lower and the zaps decreased, although the baseline increased if I walked, as it spiked backed to a 9 when my left foot hit the floor and an 8 when my right foot hit the floor.

Throughout the evening there was just the usual ringing/hissing baseline (7) with a few clicks but extreme crackling noises when I swallowed anything, food or drink,

zaps increased a little.

Took a sleeping tablet (Loprazolam) around ten. For the next couple of hours, T was around 7/8.

Fell asleep around 2am. Woke up at 4.40am, head resonating like a bell, headache, neck ache and T at 11.

While all of this is going on, I'm wearing a Bluetooth headband all day, which helps but it's not enough to restore any kind of normal life.

Went out and stood in the garden till just after 5am, wondering if I'll ever find the courage. Came back inside, took another sleeping tablet, slept on the lounge floor till 7am using a pillow for people with neck issues. I never know what's coming with my T.

Habituation? Not a chance.

Love and silence to all.

[PABLR]

I've habituated well, I think. While it's always there, both sides, three tones, I don't notice a lot unless I think about it, or am on this forum! For me always being 'busy' is key. Inverted commas because busy can be totally quiet, such as reading or sewing, but as long as my mind is involved on an activity, the tinnitus doesn't come to the forefront. Thank goodness.

[Rossi50]

Well today I was at a wedding. Just a family gathering so no DJ or anything but lots going on. So didn't hear it obviously. Even when I went into a quieter space it wasn't really there. I try my best not to think about it as I find myself checking to see if it's either no longer there or better. I know that's the worst thing to do but it's hard! But I always think it's because there's noise that masks it but how on earth do you do it when there isn't anything else to listen to??

[dutyhog]

I’ve had T for 66 years and can’t remember when I stopped noticing it - probably during the first 5 years or so. But later one ear became pulsatile and that’s more difficult to ignore when it’s quiet, especially now that my heart beats are irregular. Masking is always the resort if it intrudes.

[Rabb5]

I find I’m getting better during the day when I’m busy, but any suggestions, for example, in the evening when I’m sat hoping to relax after a day at work.

This evening, for example, my children have music on. It’s not too loud and we are just sitting doing our own thing with the music in, which I’d hope distract me. The tinnitus is so high pitched. Any suggestions?

[Rossi50 in reply to Rabb5]

I was told that sometimes the louder the environment then your T would often compete! Did it subside if you focussed on something else??

[Rabb5 in reply to Rossi50]

The music is quiet and my children were quietly playing on their phones (like they do!). I tried doing the same having the background music and playing a game on my phone but it’s very distracting.

I find if I’m moving cleaning, shopping, etc I can forget it. It’s times like this when you just want a little piece, it’s like here I am!

I’m sure it’ll get easier.