Tinnitus is a ringing or buzzing sound in your ears without an external source. While some people find it mildly annoying, others experience severe mental health side effects.
A 2023 study found that chronic tinnitus is associated with an increased risk of depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms (the physical manifestation of mental health disorders, i.e., throwing up from anxiety). While there is no known cure for tinnitus, finding ways to manage it is crucial for protecting your mental health.
How Can I Manage Tinnitus?
The first step in protecting your mental health is to manage your tinnitus. Three standard strategies include sound masking with hearing aids or white noise machines, therapeutic support and relaxation techniques.
Sound masking distracts the brain with calming sounds, diverting its attention from the internal ringing. If you already have hearing aids, check their smartphone companion app for tinnitus masking settings. If you don’t, pick up a sound masking machine or download a white noise app.
If sound masking doesn’t help, you may want to move on to therapeutic support.
Therapeutic Support for Tinnitus
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a proven method for managing the emotional distress tinnitus causes. CBT helps reframe negative thoughts and reduce anxiety, depression and insomnia related to tinnitus. Other options include tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), which combines counseling and sound therapy to help the brain filter out tinnitus more effectively.
You can pair therapeutic support with relaxation strategies for extra relief. Try taking a yoga class, going for daily walks around Wills Park or meditating to add some calm to your life.
Seek Mental Health Support
While managing tinnitus is a crucial part of relieving the mental health effects associated with it, it isn’t a direct treatment for anxiety or depression. If you’re living with anxiety and depression, seek help from a qualified mental health professional—ideally, one also versed in CBT for tinnitus relief. A mental health professional can teach you effective coping strategies to manage the underlying factors contributing to poor mental health.
Schedule a Tinnitus Evaluation
If tinnitus is plaguing you and you’re unsure where to start, contact Advanced Hearing today for a tinnitus evaluation and management consultation.