Hey guys, new member here. here's my T story: I'm 16 years old, and since i was 11 i've been obsessed with music. it's not my career choice per say, but its most definitely my talent; I discovered i had perfect pitch around that age too, and i love listening to and studying jazz and metal, and guitar is with no doubt one of my best talents. i've been in a band for 4 years at this point. i was pretty much always using hearing protection, and especially since around october 2010, which is when the T started. i noticed it when going to sleep after a family weekend trip to new york. i really didnt know why it chose that day to start, it wasnt after particularly loud sounds or anything, but thats how it happened. at the time it was nothing significant but i definitely had those scary thoughts at first, and i did a bit of research but for the next year i just was more careful and continued doing what i do, with interruptions to my emotions only once in a while.
i got a bit more worried when i noticed it getting a bit more severe around fall/winter of this year. i hadn't really talked to anyone about it, and after a few incidents where i had been really worried about hearing loss, (the thought of going deaf by the time i was 30 scared me!), i saw an audiologist, who tested my hearing which very thankfully is fully functional, and that made me happy for the time being. since then, i've had a couple more unpleasant experiences with it, however, and i've found this forum. my T is not catastrophic, but worries me, and since its not going to miraculously go away one day, especially if i continue to have negative, self destructive thoughts, i've made goals.
I hope to conquer it mentally, not waste days brooding about it, and most importantly find a way to do this without having to give up music, since its more than a hobby to me. i'm starting by giving up pot and cutting down on caffeine for at least a month or two to see what this does, since i've had some rather unpleasant highs lately and i think its more because of my T than anything. i've already been wearing earplugs everyday in jazz band at school (despite the weird looks people give me), but i might get some custom fitted ones from a doctor since it'll be a good long term investment. i've also been playing basketball lately, and i think i'll use that to get more exercise as well as a way to move from those negative thoughts. cheers to all, and good luck on everyone's journey!
