Monday

(( ((( Phantom Sounds ))) ))

I worked as a public relations agent. I loved my work dearly. I especially liked being in the limelight often and the constant hustle and bustle it brought. However, because of mismanagement, our firm closed. I was left jobless and in shock. That was when my panic attacks began. It was a reaction to the sense of helplessness I felt about losing my job. It came in mild bouts until it reached an unmanageable level.

As advised by my doctor, I started taking benzodiazepines which totally relieved my panic attacks. When I stopped taking the drug, however, I began hearing ringing rounds. At first, the sound was barely audible except during times when I was alone. I ignored the noise, thinking that it would just go away on its own. Then I started hearing the ringing sound even when there was so much noise around me. That was when it became a total nuisance. I couldn’t sleep and think well. I desperately wanted it to stop.

I consulted my doctor again and found out that the ringing was a disorder called tinnitus. Since it was the first time I have ever heard of the condition, I was shocked to learn that almost thirty six million others – or one in five people – have it as well. The doctor said that rather than being a disease, tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying disease or condition, which in my case was benzodiazepine withdrawal that resulted from my choice to stop taking the said drug. I also learned that tinnitus is caused by a disruption in the function of either the ear or the brain. I was scared by this information. The doctor, in an attempt to allay my fears, told me that there is a tinnitus natural remedy and a lot of tinnitus control methods that I can opt for.