Tinnitus Related To Emotional Problems

Maybe the word “tinnitus” means nothing to you, but the truth is, not every one of us at some point in our lives has experienced it. Have you ever heard a loud voice or hum that other people around you didn’t hear? It’s not about others talking behind your back, it’s about tinnitus!

In general, these sounds that more or less bother us disappear at some point. But imagine that this sound would be permanent. Imagine hearing this voice all the time. How would you imagine it affecting your daily life if you heard this constant high hum in your ear? Continue reading this article to find out how to treat these psychological and emotional factors in people who suffer from tinnitus permanently.

Let’s start from the beginning, what exactly is tinnitus?

With our small-scale description, it is possible to get a general idea of ​​what tinnitus is. But to better understand it, we need to define it a little more precisely. First, it is a perception of sound that does not come from any external source.

If, for example, we can hear that ringing or humming on television, then of course it is not tinnitus. But there is something we need to keep in mind. While this voice has no external source, it doesn’t mean we won’t actually hear it. It is not an auditory consideration for hallucination.

In addition to this, tinnitus can be experienced in one ear, in both, or it can be felt all over the head. And lastly, even though we’re talking about ringing and humming, there are other kinds of sounds as well. One of the common sounds is the chirping of grasshoppers, or the waves of the sea.

What types of tinnitus are there?

Tinnitus can vary depending on the type of sound people hear. But we can still classify it as either objective or subjective. We’re going to talk about both types, but before that, we have to make it clear, even if the other type is called “subjective,” that doesn’t mean the person has “invented” it.

Objective tinnitus is the perception of sound created by the body itself and transmitted to the mussel bones of the ear, or sound transmitted to the cavity of the middle ear. Thus, tinnitus is not caused by any problem in our hearing system, but it is more of a physical sound that is perceived as normal.

This means that doctors can hear it through auscultation. These are arterial sounds, arterial anus, and venous thrombosis. These types have good prognoses, but make up only 5% of tinnitus cases. Subjective tinnitus, on the other hand, is only perceived by the patient. That is, it is a perception of sound that is not a physical perception.

As we have said before, this does not mean that a person imagines tinnitus. It is a ghost sensation due to a medical condition in the ear or auditory nervous system. The causes of this type of tinnitus can be ophthalmic, cardiovascular and vascular, metabolic, neurological, pharmacological. And yes, psychological. Tinnitus can appear after severe emotional distress.

How can tinnitus affect life?

Now that we know a little more about tinnitus, we can next look at how it affects the lives of those who suffer from it. As always, every case is different. There are people who do not suffer from an unpleasant feeling and who manage to accept it as part of their lives without being affected in any way in any way. They manage to prevent it, just like people living in big cities who don’t hear all the hustle and bustle around them.

But there are also cases where people’s tinnitus causes many negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness, or anger. At this point, people usually enter a vicious circle where they constantly pay attention to their tinnitus and can’t stop thinking about it. They want to stop hearing that voice, but the fact that they can’t make their concerns grow. They fear it will increase its intensity or they will not be able to control it.

Vicious circle

Usually, these people can’t let go of these thoughts and they can’t stop thinking about that voice. As a result, they miss a lot of free time and pleasant activities. It forms a vicious circle from which they cannot escape. Their discomfort and awareness of tinnitus is increasing. On top of all that, all of this can lead to sleep problems.

Emotional problems are really common, but ignorance of how to manage them doesn’t mean we should blame those who are in this situation. People in this situation lack effective tools to regulate their emotions and control tinnitus. For this reason, it is important to contact a psychologist who specializes in the treatment of tinnitus. He will help us get the tools we need to face this frustrating phenomenon.

Photos by Chris Benson, Aaron Burden and Callie Morgan.