I like that idea--T2! I read that 50 million people have T but only 12 million seek medical help. Therefore, I think most people think all people have T at the same level and should just be going about our merry way like the other 38 million do.

However, mine went from mildly annoying T (started in June) to shrill jet engines in a matter of a couple of months, and as we all know, there is no comparison!! I had to stop work when that happened! Even on "tea kettle" days I struggle to function, and can't focus without maskers.

Here's an example of how people don't get it. When I told my mother I had developed severe T (this was when it had gotten to tea kettles) and was struggling with anxiety, anxiety attacks, and depression, she wondered why I was getting all thee things at once. It was like she didn't understand that severe T could cause those other things. I think that is how most people think. :/

And, like you, I've had a number of people tell me offhandedly, "Oh, I've had T for 10 years--it sure can be annoying." Um, no, this is a LITTLE more than just "annoying." : )

PS I just told my hubby your idea about T2 and he said "Maybe it should be called TX for EXTREME." When I said, "Yeah, but that could be mistaken for 'Texas,'" he said, "OK, then maybe 'Grand Mal Tinnitus.' Now THAT sounds serious!!" Lol.

Yes, there should be a differentiation between the annoying droning T and the "jet engine" T. Most people just don't get the intensity of noise that we have to put up with. Thankfully I have an extremely supportive family & friends. Why wouldn't we get anxious & depressed listening to T 24/7.
P.S.
I have T2

Hi I am new to joining this group but not new to tinnitus.

I think basically if tinnitus interferes with the quality of your life then it is a serious problem and giving it a letter and number scale could help others to know the level of discomfort you are at but of course there is someone who wants to 'one up' you. have you ever noticed that in life?
you would say that your tinnitus is a T2 and of course the other person would say oh mine is at a 10.

You tell someone that you have a pain in your foot, or you have a thing on your arm, or you have in this case...tinnitus....and you get a boat load of 'oh yeah I have got that' or 'yeah my sister has that'.....no one really acknowledges the distress you are in at the time, we are dismissed.

I have found that sharing my health problems (I have other things too) with other people can really make me feel worse because of their insensitive responses and the stupid, stupid things people say. so it's best to share with someone you really trust or just don't even bother because it is very rare that one gets any kind of empathy and true understanding.

Hey isn't T2 a terminator?

Right now my tinnitus is T2 and is driving me nuts. I started a medication for blood pressure and the meds has triggered the tinnitus to be super loud. usually it is at a level I can tune it out but right now I am struggling with doing that. I have an anxiety disorder and this is just exasperating everything.

I know it's not the same thing but diabetes has type 1 and type 2 classifications. 85% of diabetics have type 2 and 15% have type 1. Even if people don't know what it means they understand that there is a difference between the two.

I only come here - crying i want to die to my family landed me in a psych ward and did nothing for my T - I have a public journal about the whole thing.

I have told my whole family and my friends about my Tinnitus and that it has gotten a lot worse. My mom who I dearly love told me that I need to find some way of getting my life back and that it is just a noise. My friends just take pity on me because they don't understand why I am so moody all the time. My "T" used to be so mild that it wasn't noticeable at all during the day and I was able to find enjoyment out of life, however, my "T" now sounds like a very loud tea kettle going off in my right ear and sometimes in my head. My life totally revolves around my Tinnitus (it so sad for me).

I tell people that I have an auditory processing disorder. Then they want to hear all about it.

No, not any more that don't get it and like you it makes me feel weak when I'm not. I'm used to this with tinnitus though because I went thru the same thing with my rheumatoid arthirits diagnosis. People/friends would say "Oh my mom has arthritis too" well excuse me your mom is 80 and everyone expects a little "regular" arthritis which comes with normal wear and tear. RA is life altering, every joint in your body hurts like you have wrapped shards of glass around your joints with barbed wire and and the overwhelming fatigue. I take 3 big time drugs for this disease just to be somewhat functioning so it irked me to no end when my "friends" would say "put a little Ben Gay on it", if only!! Why would I spend over 1800.00 a month for medicine when I could go to Walgreens and buy some $5.00 Ben Gay!! Arrrgh. So while I'm familiar with our problems being taken very lightly I never get used to it, thus I keep myself pretty isolated to lessen the added frustration these so called "friends" leave me feeling. It's sad, it's all very sad.

I don't tell people. I did so in the past and nobody understood anything about tinnitus. Somebody said to me once "oh well if I get then too bad".
I don't believe people take it seriously. Only somebody with loud tinnitus understands the devestating impact it has.
I've seen workers using concrete saws, impact hammers without hearing protection. I've seen people stand under a fire alarm while it's going off. I ran from the room with my hands over my ears.
It seems that some people don't care about their hearing or tinnitus.
My family and friends know how it effects me and they are wise about protecting their hearing.

I just tell them if they ask that " I'm having a bad day "

even my best friend doesn't understand his the one with mild T

Humans are the most adaptive living creatures on this planet and we will adapt to most any situation. Even having screaming noises in our heads cannot stop us from going to work or just getting up in the morning. But we are also the most selfish lifeforms in the universe. Anything that we do, we solely do for ourselves. I gave up telling people about my T because it just became fruitless to do it. There was no profit emotionally or else wise. I think it tends to make me withdraw farther inside myself when I am ignored on a bad day. I never thought that I would be able to function(going back to work), and still be a factor in my workday. But everyday it is all about me. I will succeed. Everywhere I end up I will be remembered in someway. Tinnitus will not put me on a shelf.

Hi all, its the same thing with me people just think I should be over it already that its nothing and I should get back to work. And yes someone always has it to and they are fine with it. It makes me so mad I hate talking about it but when I do its whatever. I do have a very understanding family so Im thankful for that. I am always glad I have DS so that I can vent when I need to or just be with people that are like me and share my pain and give good advice. Thank You all for that !!!!!!

"" I tell people that I have an auditory processing disorder. Then they want to hear all about it. "

LOL . I love that. I'm seriously going to use that if I need to tell my boss.

I was only telling people on a need to know basis and it really backfired on me. Some friends, who don't know about my condition, took me to a breakfast to celebrate my birthday and two other friends birthdays. Well how loud could breakfast possibly be? But unknown to me, it's the restaurant's tradition to blast music, jet engine loud, when they come out with birthday fireworks even at 10:30 in the morning!! I couldn't cover my ears in time and this set my T back to the level of when I began this horror. I was beside myself.

Had I told my friend that I can't be around loud music, she wouldn't have taken me there. Now I tell everyone I'm going out with or meeting that I hurt my ears and cannot be around any loud music or noises.