When does it get easier?

[u/CaptainKron]

I got the gift. All I took was two doses of an antidepressant (venlafaxine) and immediately got tinnitus in both ears, three distinct tones.

It's been three weeks now and there's no sign of improvement. I can't sleep, I can't focus on anything. I can't even mask it since noise just aggravates it, so everything I listen to has to be low volume and I always hear it.

When does it get easier? I'm trying to steel myself and learn to live with it rather than hold out hope for it to magically go away, but each day I feel defeated and on the verge of bursting into tears. It doesn't matter if it never goes away, I just want my normal life back

[u/s0me1_is_here]

I'm sorry to hear this has happened. Three weeks in is really early so it makes sense you are really struggling.

I hope it goes away for you! Don't give up hope. Alot of tinnitus does just go away! I hope this happens for you.

But if not, you'll get your life back. Most of us do :)

In my experience the first few weeks were hell, I was a crying and distraught mess, and then the following months were really tough - but I did a lot to help myself in those months.

Hypontherapy tapes, meditation, yoga, being in nature, heaps of habituation work with sound therapy and masking. Hydration, no alcohol. You name it!

I got some professional help from an audiologist who works with tinnitus and followed their advice.

Now 3 years in I mostly go all day forgetting I have tinnitus so long as I am not somewhere really quiet.

My emotional response to it has become pretty neutral.

I am in a really quiet room typing this, I can hear the tinnitus, it gets so loud in one ear I feel like I can feel it vibrating in there. BUT it just is. I'm not upset. Mildly annoyed at most. I have a quiet sound machine running in the background with some relaxing noises that help take my focus.

Later I will lay down to go to bed and it will be so loud, but again I'll just accept it, my emotions will be neutral and I'll go to sleep.

So hold out hope, you will get your life back! But you may need to do some work to help yourself get there.

I'll be praying your tinnitus goes away though!

[u/Detinnitized → u/s0me1_is_here]

I will second this; it's a really great response. The one thing I would add is that while yes, it takes time to get your life back *if your tinnitus sticks around*, you may be able to shorten that time somewhat by doing something like what I did - actively focusing on things other than the noise.

It's not easy at first; it's almost like bench pressing with your brain. But once you get some practice at allowing yourself to not listen to the noise and focus on something else for just 5 minutes each time, you'll probably be pleased to notice at some point (as I did) that you just went the entire 5 minutes without hearing it! That will be proof that you've got some control.

Then it's just a matter of doing that over and over again a few times each day. Gradually make those times longer. The longer you can go without hearing it, the more confidence you'll have that you can do this! The goal shouldn't be to get rid of the noise, but to just not give a shit whether it's there or not. That way, when you do hear it - as you will occasionally - you won't feel upset, disappointed, or anxious. It will just be a thing you notice occasionally and will forget again as soon as you're mentally engaged in doing just about anything.

You could very well end up - as I did - having a better life than the one you had before you had to face this. And you will have picked up a skill that can be applied in a lot of other situations at some point.

Hope that's helpful!

[u/s0me1_is_here → u/Detinnitized]

This is such good advice and this is a technique I used without specifically setting out to.

I actually agree that my life is better now that it was before. Not so much in a material sense but in my relationship with myself, my relationship with life itself and my ability to surrender to 'what is' have all improved.

I also use my tinnitus as a bit of a barometer to measure how well I'm looking after myself. If I'm living well I tend not to notice it, or have a totally neutral response to it - and if I find it's in my awareness alot and my response is on the negative side of neutral then I look at my sleep, diet, stress and maybe most importantly how I'm living and interacting with the world and usually I'll find something to improve.

I love hearing other people's positive stories about this challenge so thank you for sharing :)

[u/CaptainKron → u/s0me1_is_here]

Thank you. Today's been a bit of a tough one - still climbing the hill on acceptance it may never go away while still holding out hope it fades.

I'm aware it'll be a process and that habituation doesn't happen overnight, but appreciate your help telling me that it can get easier. Thanks again

[u/s0me1_is_here → u/CaptainKron]

One of the simplest bits of advice I was given was simply to do alot of what you love doing and you may find this takes your attention enough to give you some relief :)

[u/LoudRefuse9911]

I'll never understand why this poisonous class of medication is not banned already:

"You are depressed or anxious? Gee, here's something that will help you: take this to get a LOUD SCREECHING noise in your ears!"

Insanity.

[u/throwaway829500174 → u/LoudRefuse9911]

doctors are trained to write prescriptions. thats how they solve problems because it's what is easiest and most profitable for everyone involved especially pharma.

tinnitus as a side effect is treated like a headache or dry mouth instead of a permanent, potentially debilitating condition that someone has to live with 24/7.

SSRIs arent even effective. they address a symptom and not the root problem

[u/cowkiez]

the first month it's the hardest in my opinion, just accept it :( Little by little you will get used to it, what helps me is always having noise of a fan

[u/MulberryQuirky1026 → u/cowkiez]

Thanks for your comment. I’m 3 weeks in. Good to know I’m not alone with this.

[u/throwaway829500174]

the doctors that prescribe this shit are evil

[u/Puzzleheaded_Time743]

It's like straight out of a horror movie. I'm on a Thee Tone Tinitus Safari and im starting to loose my mind cuz of severe depression. Im already on stuff that at least put's me into sleep but the depression is getting worst. Now my doctor "of course wants to Prescribe me Sertraline /Zoloft. I found in the list of Side effects: ringing in the ears/tinnitus. Yeah I guess thanks for nothing.

[u/MrAndrewLambert]

I've been living with tinnitus for quite a while now, and due to my actions, it has gotten worse several times.

But I want to reassure you that even though it feels really overwhelming right now, you are going to be okay. It might still go away, and it not, you will adapt to it over time.

At first, it’s a struggle. The realization that it might not go away, that it doesn’t get quiet anymore, and it feels like it's taking over your life is tough. But over time, it does get easier. I’ve been living with tinnitus for almost 20 years, and while I can hear it everywhere over everything, all the time, but I only notice it when someone brings it up or when I actively listen for it.

I know it might be hard to believe right now, and you might hear people say things like “not everyone is the same,” or “it depends on how loud it is,” and that’s true. There are some severe cases, but most people just adapt to it. The truth is that many of us who adapt to it don’t come back to share our experience because we forget about it.

It might feel like a long road, but you will adjust, and in time you won't even realize it exists. Just like your brain is not actively focussing on the fact or realizing that you're wearing clothes or socks right now. Well probably now it does because you're thinking about it.

It is very hard, but don't worry about it too much. If I could bet all my money on that you're going to be okay, I would do that without thinking.

[u/Nwadamor]

You will get used to it. Since 2015, I only notice it when trying to read

[u/delta815 → u/Nwadamor]

it depends on severity so no