On 3/5/2016 6:33 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Don Y:
Yup. Lots of people go bat-sh*t crazy in "silent" houses -- unable
to avoid that "tinnitis" (sp). Instead, relying on some sort of
masking sound to push the ringing out of their conscious mind.

Thankfully I am not one of those.

We tend to have background "noise" around us much of the day: music
playing, movies, news, etc. SWMBO has a bit of it so this helps
her "ignore" it.

But I had a windsurfing acquaintance that killed himself over it. Had
a string of firecrackers go off basically in one of his ears... lived
with the tinnitus for a year or two and the did himself in. Super
tragic because he was such a decent, intelligent guy.

I don't think many of us can understand what something truly "chronic"
can be like -- *no* relief -- whether it's ringing in the ears, pain,
etc.

I suspect we all have our assortments of aches-and-pains (some of which
may, in fact, be "chronic") but the fact that we *can* live with them
suggests there's an entirely different threshold beyond which it just
becomes maddening.

I had a repeat bout with chicken pox a year or so ago (apparently, many
of those "I've-already-had-it-so-I'm-safe" childhood diseases can reoffend!)
In my case, the palms of both hands were most seriously affected (I could
"treat" other parts of my body but your palms are damn near impossible
to scratch, anesthesize, etc.). It was maddening to NOT be able to do
anything with that persistent itch: "Yeah, I know it's only temporary...
but I'm tired of it already!!"