25/07/2026
Something we don’t often talk about with tinnitus distress, is that after habituation* we can “hit the wall”.
I travelled out of area a couple of years ago to do a private Active Habituation** consultation for someone with extremely severe tinnitus. The patient worked with me that day and improvement was great at follow up. We were both delighted at the change.
Sometimes though, the pattern of events that dragged you into tinnitus distress can happen again. 2 years later, a period of extreme, prolonged stress caused a spike in the patient’s tinnitus signal. They started to doubt, thinking they were back to square one. This uncertainty fuelled the tinnitus spike, and set up a feedback loop.
Tinnitus -> anxiety
Anxiety -> tinnitus
These are the circumstances which usually bring someone to my door in the first place. Luckily, the patient kept my number and we did a refresher last week.
If you hit the wall, following a bereavement or other personal circumstances, do not despair. It is normal to see a spike in your tinnitus during times of stress.
If you find yourself stuck in a negative loop, where the tinnitus signal is persistent and you are in despair, I will happily offer either a first time or a refresher session to get you on track.
No one has to feel that tinnitus is ruining their life. Once you understand it, it rapidly loses its power over you. When it loses its power, you break out of the feedback loop and start to habituate.
It’s rewarding work, and I’m happy to travel in Yorkshire for severe cases, with bespoke pricing. But anyone can access a one-off session via clinic visit or online appointment.
Sally Jackson BSc (Hons) RHAD MSHAA
Senior Audiologist with Tinnitus Specialism
* the psychological state of not noticing/reacting to your tinnitus signal
** my 2-hour crash course in tinnitus habituation, tailored to the individual
