This week is Tinnitus Week, an important week designated by Tinnitus UK.
The week was originally called Tinnitus Awareness Week but this was changed to ‘Tinnitus Week‘ presumably because the week encompasses much more than awareness. It highlights the help and support available as well as prevention measures.
The onset of Tinnitus
The onset of tinnitus can be isolating, it is a hidden condition, no one can hear what you are experiencing but there is help and support available.
The importance of Support Groups is to give Hope. We can help you understand your condition and why you have an emotional reaction to tinnitus. Feeling anxious about the condition is normal.
Habituation
Our founder member, Audrey, tells the story about when she became aware of her tinnitus back in 1984. At that time there was little information available. She visited her GP who said he knew little about tinnitus but he knew about the brain which he said would learn to habituate to the sound. In other words, the brain learns to ignore the noise and accept it as another bodily function. Evidence shows that most people do ‘habituate’ to tinnitus.
Support Available
The process of habituation takes time and the sooner you get support the better. It is important to understand tinnitus, your emotional reaction to it as well as being aware of stress triggers which exacerbate it. We can help you find ways to re-focus your attention away from tinnitus and learn to relax.
If you remember the BT adverts in the 1990s with Bob Hoskins, he said “It’s good to talk”. That is why the self-help community is so important. At one of our meetings a new lady was in tears, we helped and supported her. Some time later another new member joined and was also tearful. The first lady said to her “I was like you when I came along to the group” now she is ‘living well with tinnitus’, which was reassuring to the new member.
For more information and support available from our local support group, please contact us. “It’s Good to Talk”.