to think you can live a happy life with tinnitus

[Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends]

The posts on here re: tinnitus have really got me through the last two months, so I'm just back to ask (pleadingly) - if you were really down about it in the beginning, and really fixated, did it change for you? I know it sounds so melodramatic but I just think it means I can't live the same life I did before. I guess I'm worried too that it could all get so much worse (quite mild in the day, no hearing loss, annoying at night)

Can you really learn to block it out? Do most people manage that? I read posts that say people can go for weeks or months forgetting they have it but it's on my mind all the time (and I know, I'm doing what I can to not have a stress response to it but it's so alien).

I've got ETD and fluid in my ears which also make it hard not to overthink it. And I'm a writer by trade, so I miss my silence. Sorry for the whingy post.

Like several PPs , I've had tinnitus all my life. I thought the noise was what 'silence' was until I was 17 and started working in audiology. My hearing at that time was really good.
I notice it if I've been in a loud place bit it's never bothered me as it's always been there. My hearing is not so good now (too many loud gigs and pubs other the years) .

You will be OK OP there's been some excellent advice on this thread. Your brain will adapt.

Brilliant! I hope it's useful to him 🙂

I have had tinnitus for about 5 years. Hearing test/MRI showed no concern. It was hard at first but tbf it doesn’t really bother me anymore. My life isn’t any different from pre-tinnitus but I do sometimes miss hearing the silence

Thank you so much everyone.

Okay last weird question: If the brain blocks it out eventually, how come you can’t hear silence? I miss silence too. It’s mild enough that I can generally do a woods walk and birdsong though so that’s a blessing.

How are you doing now a year on OP? I'm 3 months in to tinnitus and it is driving me absolutely mad.

I’ve had tinnitus for years and mostly I can ignore it or mask it with keeping busy or background noise of tv or radio. The noise is like white noise, rarely I get high pitched ringing but that doesn’t last long.
It does seem to be getting worse - think this is linked to Covid jabs too but of course no proof.