This is my first post, so please strap in, or skip to where I mention SSRIs (in bold) as I really would like input
My tinnitus (T) in both ears started after playing a gig where the monitoring on stage was too loud at the end of August. Perhaps as a psychological reaction, I developed hyperacusis a couple of week later. Let me qualify that - I long found high pitched screeching / chatter say in a restaurant to be an issue for some years before the T. I would sometimes wear earplugs in those situations but not frequently.
I saw an ENT specialist. He told me he had T, that T was illogical and that I couldn't think my way out of it (I do over analyse everything)...most surprisingly, that statements about inner ear haircells being damaged from noise exposure to be unproven. I should just protect my ears when necessary - like anybody else should. My hearing was tested and I have a tiny bit of a loss of hearing at 4k plus in my left ear. It's at 20-30dB and I'm told that's too mild to consider hearing aids. I told him my T was around 8k and he wanted to know why I'd checked that. The answer (that I thought of post consultation) is that various sites ask you to describe your T.
Anyhow, I'm trying:
-Mindfulness / meditation - the Calm app.
-CBT - the Oto app
-I read the Rock Steady book - the neuroplasticity stuff was fascinating to me but the text quickly got too hippy-dippy for me.
-I also read a recommended text from tinnitus uk on Living with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis (Laurence McKenna, David Baguley, Don McFerran)
On the plus side, I have gradually increased the volume of the tv and music (speakers not headphones), comforting myself by using a dB measuring app on my phone and seeing that as it never exceeds 60dB (and you can listen to 85dB all day) that it can't do me any harm. So the Hyperacusis is subsiding.
As an over-thinker, and with the constant noise causing me distress and a lack of concentration / patience when trying to work, I considered SSRIs. Not as a cure, but to chill me out, improve my quality of life while I habituate. I truly believe that must be possible. I have musician friends who have achieved this. I have friends and workmates who got T after childbirth, covid etc and they have largely habituated.
However, unfortunately so many sites and forums discuss SSRIs as the cause or worsening of their T. Now, of course, you can get T at any time. And maybe someone took an antibiotic at the time they got their T. It doesn't mean that caused their T. But it also doesn't mean it didn't.
Do I deal with my anxiety / depression and stay off the SSRIs because of the potential risks.....or do I take them...but risk not relaxing because of the potential risk.
I know there isn't a clear answer, but that is my dilemma. I even looked up and considered St John's Wort....but even then I found someone claiming that caused their T.
In general, I feel a little abandoned. I'm lucky enough to have private health insurance as a perk of my job. But they won't fund anything, as they will only authorise treatments for curable conditions. Feels great to be told that about my T. So, they won't fund CBT. Supposedly CBT is recommended via NICE. But no GP will prescribe it. No support groups near me etc etc.....
I'll try to make my next post a more positive one
I do believe people can habituate to T.....but hurry up already! 😂😂😂
Written by
want2habituate
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Reading your post it sounds so much like me when I first heard my Tinnitus back in 2021.
You are doing all the right things in my opinion with regards to educating yourself on what Tinnitus is.
CBT/Meditation/Walks in Nature/Avoiding avoidance all really useful tools for helping to calm our reaction to Tinnitus.
My personal experience with SSRIs and specifically Sertraline was positive and I have spoken to others with Tinnitus who have shared the same experience. I too was nervous to take SSRIs because I had read articles that had put me off but my instincts told me that if i could just take 10% of my anxiety off then some of the great things I was trying, like CBT/Walking/Sound therapy etc would have space to work. I was lucky that I didn't have any side effects but of course if you have side effects on one SSRI then there are plenty of others that can be tried.
They are not a magic pill though but only a small part of the recovery process in my opinion.
I also experienced hyperacusis when i was at my most anxious in the earlier days but in time this resolved itself.
We are all different of course so the main advice i would give you is to try and live your life as you would have done without Tinnitus, avoid avoidance and only give your Tinnitus necessary attention. I too walked round with a decibel meter for about 6 months but in the end I felt this was working against me and now i am sensible with sound in my environment but i dont let it stop me enjoying concerts/cinema/sporting events because these are all things that enrich my life
Thanks so much for your reply. Tbh it's the horror stories about SSRIs causing permanent tinnitus that I find very scary, and really the only thing that has stopped me requesting them already.
My Tinnitus dosent bother me in the slightest now.
There are over 8 million people in the UK on SSRIs so your going to hear the odd negative story here and there and people don't go online to tell you about the good stories because its not something people like admitting to - this is what I told myself before taking them.
The worst I have heard is people who struggle with Side effects but in the 2 examples i can remember both people eventually found an SSRI that worked for them
I too suffer from tinnitus reactive tinnitus and hyperacusis I can’t understand how u are able to go to concerts etc I can’t even go to supermarkets at the moment. They say don’t use ear plugs etc but my tinnitus is so loud most of the time I find it hard to go out if the house. I take Mirtazapine at night which helps me sleep but does little for my anxiety. How do I deal with this the way u have ? This all started in March this year due to work related stress. I’ve had to take early retirement not much if a retirement! Plz any advice would help
I started taking Setraline a couple of years after permanent T started. By that time I’d accepted T as here to stay. I’d had anxiety long before T and wanted that calmed down which Setraline has done. I can’t relate SSRI with my T in any capacity and my T hasn’t changed. All advise is conjecture because really nobody has a clue what causes T.
There is an online Tinnitus support group found on this site and booked through Evenbrite, sorry I do not have the link or post to point you to.
SSRIs are used for anxiety and depression so if you have these it is probably worth discussing with your GP/Prescriber. I don't think your question is an either/or it can be that you are on medication and deal with your anxiety and depression with mindfulness & meditation as this can help you ground yourself in the present and not thinking too far into the future or replaying the past.
I found that dealing with Tinnitus it is not about seeking the best medication it is about the long term psychological management. If it helps it took me less than a year to habituate (since November 2023). I realised recently that this word I had never heard of was active in my life.
It's great to hear about how fast you habituated. I agree that a two (or even multi) pronged approach to psychological management is needed. Interestingly the Rock Steady book that was a bit hippy dippy for me did talk about sometimes things getting better before they got worse, particularly with regards to neuroplasticity and new pathways.....whichever it is.....Friday was a terrible day for me, yet this morning doing the groceries I was aware of being quite upbeat, whistling, not overly bothered by loud noises etc....I'm going to remind myself of that on a bad day.
Sorry to hear about Friday but so pleased to hear about your experience this morning. I always remember someone saying to me that improvement isn't linear and the ups and downs can be varied (Low lows and High highs) but overall the trend will be upwards. Celebrate the successes and remind yourself of the above during the lows.
Be kind to yourself during the lows - It gets easier :
By the way I understand that my Tinnitus could be a result of long term non steroidal anti inflammatory use (ibuprofen etc) so there are side effects with all medication. I have been on prozac in the past which was a life saver.
I did slightly bugger my kidneys years ago with NSAIDs for gout. I haven't taken NSAIDs for at least 7 years, but the damage could have already been done, ready to manifest itself.
I went to lots of rock concerts as a kid... back in the late 60's and 70's... and know I got some pretty good volume blasts. But it wasn't until Covid that my T in my one ear really kicked in. I also worked around loud large machines in my career, but always wore ear protection, so I don't think that was an issue. But I wonder if T isn't accumulative damage induced.
Hi. I have been on a few different ssri's thru the years. I got T about 14 months ago. Did a lot of reading. Decided that my measly low dose of 5mg liquid fluoxetine may be the cause. So I got off. It didn't go away. In fact it was worse the more I got depressed.and very anxious. It would come and go. I didn't want to get back on cuz I thought I would no longer ger breaks from it. My doc assured me it would be the same and it is..I am about 3 days on and 3 days without it. It feels im better able to not be as bothered. I will say that I also started taking about 300 mg magnesium glycinate sometime in the evening a few weeks ago. I think it may be helping also.
welcome to the forum! It sounds like you’ve been through a lot with your tinnitus and hyperacusis. It’s completely understandable to feel overwhelmed, especially when dealing with the anxiety and uncertainty surrounding treatment options.
I admire your proactive approach to managing your symptoms through mindfulness, CBT, and reading—those can be very helpful tools. While medications like SSRIs can work for some, it’s important to weigh the potential benefits against any risks, especially when there are so many differing opinions online.
In addition to the strategies you’re already trying, I’d like to mention that music therapy specifically designed for tinnitus can also be a valuable resource. Many people find it soothing and beneficial for their overall well-being, and it might help you feel more at ease while you navigate this journey.
If you're interested, I’d love for you to check it out!
Remember, you’re not alone in this, and many have found ways to manage their tinnitus effectively over time. Hang in there, and I hope your next post is filled with more positivity!
I have had tinnitus since 1993 when I was violently attacked and beaten severely by a person on drugs that was being admitted to the hospital I worked at. I have never taken any meds for it. A lot of them time, particularly during the day it isn't that noticeable I think because so much is going on but at night it comes in surges and gets louder.
I have found that for me the best way to relax and have it calm down and fade away is to listen to an 8 hour track I have of either slight ocean surf or a forest stream on at low volume so I can do other things without having to pay attention to it. I often fall asleep to the sounds of the water.
As an update, I got prescribed Mertazapine on Monday - I suggested it as an anti-depressant that doesn't have T listed as a side-effect. I've not yet started taking them, but I have them on the shelf just in case.
Another friend reported that his wife has tinnitus due to an inability to absorb dietary B12 that didn't get diagnosed until too late. As a runner and having a largely vegetarian diet (his words), he started developing T, and had some B12 injections and that resolved things.
He's suggested taking a B12 blood test - I'd feel silly not asking the GP about it, but not sure how they will react. Also apparently testing can be frustrated by taking B12 supplements, and my daily multivit/mineral has stacks of B12.....
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Somatic tinnitus 
Tinnitus
Living with Tinnitus 
Reactive Tinnitus - anyone else experience this
reactive tinnitus advice?
