Philip Rutter

Re: tinnitus and mind function- I think it is very much worth while at this point to include information of "do you have tinnitus" in any aphantasic/hyperphantasic data gathering process.  If there's any correlation, it could someday be useful in cracking actual causations, or just helping understand mental/neural processes. I am hyperphantasic, from birth as far as I can tell, and I've had tinnitus for decades.  It was not always present, but probably started up around the time I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, "CFS".  My version of CFS seems to have been/be a merry-go-round of symptoms, including anything you can think of at one time or another.  My tinnitus when I first noticed it was bad enough to discuss with my doctor - who of course really has nothing he can do about it.  "You'll adapt" - they say. I've lived with tinnitus now for 30 years, at least- and in fact I have adapted.  I don't notice it; unless I try to hear it; then it's immediately up on the top of my consciousness.  It does not interfere with listening to Chopin, etc, anymore. My recollection is that it took multiple years before adaptation reached this point, where it is of zero concern; maybe as much as 5 or 6.  For a number of years it was a constant burden to deal with, and took energy to ignore; my impression at the moment is it no longer costs me anything to "blank it out".  It has become more complex over the years; right now there are 2 different whines active.  Sometimes there is just one; then #2 can kick in quite suddenly- and demand to be noticed.  I notice; then ignore.  Tones and volumes can vary from day to day; but nothing can make it bother me anymore.  So far. I have one bit of advice- I think - think, mind you- that focusing on the sound makes it harder to ignore.  Changing your mental focus is always difficult; but it's not impossible, and is easier with repetition.  Famously, "Don't think of an elephant!" us supposed to be an impossible command to fulfill. But I suspect if that command were repeated every 5 minutes, for a week - it would become possible to not think of an elephant.  Out of sheer human perversity, if nothing else. It's a little like the trick from the Peanuts cartoon strip years ago- where Linus is making weird faces, and his rude older sister Lucy asks him why; and Linus replies "I'm aware... of my tongue!"  Evidently a problem he experiences from time to time.   He explains it to Lucy - how suddenly he can't stop thinking about this big wet muscle inside his teeth- that kind of moves around by itself - and it becomes contagious; Lucy becomes... aware... of her tongue.  Just like YOU probably are, right now.  :-)   I'm pretty sure we all get over this disturbing awareness fairly fast, though, since I've never heard of any Peanuts readers being institutionalized for it.  I think; for most of us, tinnitus can eventually become like our tongue- we know its there; but we're not aware of it.  My experience is it takes longer than the tongue to move to background, but- it happens. Maybe- hm; next time you're being aggravated by your tinnitus- try shifting your awareness to - your tongue.  :-)  Hey, the distraction might help!     Good luck.  And hang in there.