At least with a death sentence you know your misery will come to an end at a definite time.... With tinnitus you just live in misery for what could still be a long life. I think id prefer a death sentence.

I sometimes feel tinnitus is a death sentence - just a morbidly long and terrifying one, so I know what you're saying buddy. For people like us we must keep hoping we'll habituate. Hang in there.

If i once again compiled a list of the illnesses that possess my body, imight just mention somewhere near the end, "oh, and i have very loud tinnitus as well". For me its a matter putting things in perspective. Only 3 years ago i was still well into athletic persuits. Sure, this 't' can be h-e-l-l, your worst nighmare, but it is how you percieve it, its a shock, for sure, to your mind, "why me", where can i get help, why isn't there any, how much, who can i trust, its a veritable minefield of confusion, anxiety etc.., that all just fuel this little prob. You have to hang on in there, for me thats what a big chunk of what lifes all about, took me over a year, but i was a slow learner, you will backstage this sound, i live with it blasting away all day, but i've moved on from the feeling of hopelessness, the depression, why carry on, my brain got bored with that lot too, as well as the 't'

I used to think that, but I gradually realised that the day I stopped believing tinnitus had turned my life into a miserable nightmare was the day I re-started my life. Change what you believe about the tinnitus and you will amaze yourself at how much faster you will habituate.

It is without a doubt possible to enjoy a life with intrusive tinnitus. I'm more than half way through my life but tinnitus has given me a more positive, more caring and more accepting attitude. Up there with child birth it was one of the most challenging things I've dealt with. It is still there, but it does not bother me any more.

The human mind is stronger than you imagine, you will adapt and overcome and move on with your life. As with all life experiences, take something good from it, use it to help others, and amaze yourself.

I would urge you to look forward into the New Year, the more you think out and beyond yourself, the easier it is to fullfill whatever life has in store. Do not live your life in fear of tinnitus, it cannot hurt you.

Happy New Year
Louise x

sheeesh.

the fact that you are on here posting things like that tells me the tinnitus is obviously bothering you a great deal and I totally understand that. But posting thing such as this does absolutley nothing for you of your tinnitus or anyone elses for that matter. All it does is make you and others react to their tinnitus in a negative way and starts a vicious cycle all over again.

Take a break from message boards for a while and get some rest and ease your mind. These hypothetical scenerios do no good.

When I first had it, two months ago, I would ask myself similar questions. Would you rather have cancer or T? Well the answer was, I would rather have T. Or, would I rather have terrible stomach pains for the rest of my life, or T? That was a harder one. You are not alone. These are typical reactions esp. at the onset of the this boringly terrible disorder. Then one day you decide not to give it any energy.

You seriously underestimate your ability to resolve problems and fears that arise in your life. You will find a incredible tenacity that will allow you to regain authority over your life. I promise you this will happen. It will take time. Time you have.

Dan why don't you get off the forum for a while and ease your mind. If you don't like a thread there's nobody forcing you to click on it and post on it. Who made you the forum moderator?

1) A few months after I developed tinnitus, my uncle died of pancreas cancer after a long and 2+ year battle. When I was at his funeral, I was sleeping on my aunt's couch without fan / white noise and battling to go to sleep. Of course, one of my thought threads was whether my uncle would have traded tinnitus for his cancer. Frankly, I couldn't imagine a scenario where he wouldn't have.
2) Some months ago, when I was really struggling with my T, I came home to find that someone had broken into my home and taken some things. I called a friend in a bit of a panic. This friend has been very supportive as I came to grips with T, and he wisely said "Well, you're concerned about your safety, so that probably means you don't want to die."

...I definitely have days when I'm annoyed or frustrated and I long for silence, but I have stretches of time where I forget about it and enjoy life. That's a vast difference from my perspective a year ago, despite the fact that my T isn't all that much quieter.
It WILL get better.

I would prefer tinnitus because we are in the year 2010 and a cure is within few years.