Episodes

  • Episode 153 - How Alice Went From Debilitating Tinnitus to Habituated in 9 Months | Success Story

    Episode 153 - How Alice Went From Debilitating Tinnitus to Habituated in 9 Months | Success Story
    May 1 2026
    Hey Tinnitus Friends, Alice's Tinnitus Habituation Story: From Debilitating Anxiety to Reclaiming Her Life In April 2025, Alice—a primary school teacher from Scotland—woke up suddenly deaf in one ear. After steroid injections restored her hearing, severe tinnitus moved in: a constant high hiss, multiple tones, debilitating anxiety, insomnia, and what she calls "doom and gloom Google scrolls." Today, less than a year later, she's habituated. In this conversation, Alice shares exactly how she got there—the breakthroughs, the setbacks, the tools that worked, and the moments she didn't think she'd make it through. What we cover: 🌀 The acute phase: insomnia, panic, and isolating socially 🔑 Finding ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy) and the moment hope returned 🧰 The specific ACT tools that helped most ("It's my sound, not my state") 🎭 Masking: when it helped, when she let it go, and why 🌱 How spikes and fluctuations became evidence of growth (instead of setbacks) 💬 The first social event she went to with severe tinnitus—and what changed 📈 Why habituation is non-linear (one step forward, three steps back) 🎁 Post-traumatic growth vs. post-traumatic stress 📚 The "Learning Pit" concept Alice teaches her students—and why it applies to tinnitus 💌 What Alice would tell her past self at the start of her journey Key Quotes from Alice: "I started to see my emotions as glimmers of what they were before tinnitus." "I'm just relearning experiences. I haven't lost anything." "You can't see it now—and that's okay." "This challenge is associated with growth." About My Tinnitus Club: Alice's habituation happened inside a 12-week structured program rooted in ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy)—the same program that has supported hundreds of others through their tinnitus journey. 🏘️ Join My Tinnitus Club → https://mytinnitus.club 12-week structured ACT-based program Weekly live Q&A sessions with Frieder Weekly group coaching sessions A community of people who genuinely understand Community Spotlight section: more success stories from members who didn't want to be on YouTube 💬 1-on-1 Coaching → https://outringtinnitus.com 📊 Take the Habituation Quiz → https://habituate.online Find out exactly where you are in your habituation journey More Success Stories: Want more stories like Alice's? Check out the Success Stories playlist on this channel for more conversations with people who've walked this path. Inside My Tinnitus Club, the Community Spotlight section has additional stories from members who preferred not to share on YouTube. About Me: I'm Frieder—tinnitus coach, born deaf in my left ear, hearing aid user, and severe high-pitch tinnitus experiencer for 17 years. I use Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people habituate to tinnitus and reclaim their lives. I've coached 700+ people through habituation.
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    55 mins
  • Episode 152 - Tinnitus and SSRI - What the new OSHU Study reveals

    Episode 152 - Tinnitus and SSRI - What the new OSHU Study reveals
    Apr 24 2026
    Hey Tinnitus Friends & Family, A new study from Oregon Health & Science University found a direct brain circuit linking serotonin to tinnitus symptoms. If you're taking antidepressants and have tinnitus, you've probably seen the headlines—and maybe felt some panic. Here's the truth: this is good science, not a reason to stop your medication. In this video, I break down what the research actually found, why mouse studies can't tell the whole story, and what this means if you're currently taking SSRIs. I also share my personal experience—I take SSRIs myself, and they haven't worsened my tinnitus. **Key Takeaways:** ✅ The study found a serotonin → auditory circuit that can create tinnitus-like behavior in mice ✅ This validates what some people report, but doesn't mean SSRIs "cause" tinnitus ✅ SSRIs can be life-changing for depression and anxiety—the benefits often far outweigh risks ✅ Never stop medication without talking to your doctor ✅ Habituation works regardless of whether you're on medication **Timestamps:** 0:00 Introduction: Who I Am (and Who I'm Not) 1:15 Why This Research Matters 2:20 What Are SSRIs? 3:40 The Study Explained: Serotonin → Auditory Circuit 5:10 How the Research Was Done (Optogenetics) 6:30 What Dr. Trussell Said About Future Treatments 7:45 My Take: What This Means for YOU 9:20 My Personal Experience with SSRIs 10:15 Bottom Line: Talk to Your Doctor 11:00 You Don't Have to Do This Alone **Resources Mentioned:** 📊 **Take the Habituation Quiz:** https://habituate.online 🏘️ **Join My Tinnitus Club** (12-week ACT-based program): → Weekly group coaching sessions → Supportive community who actually understands → Practical tools for reducing tinnitus's emotional impact → https://mytinnitus.club 💬 **1-on-1 Coaching:** https://outringtinnitus.com **Study Reference:** "A discrete serotonergic circuit involved in the generation of tinnitus behavior" - PNAS, April 2024 Oregon Health & Science University + Anhui University **Important Disclaimers:** I'm a tinnitus coach, not a medical professional. This video is educational content, not medical advice. Never adjust or stop medication without consulting your prescribing physician. If you're experiencing depression, anxiety, or thoughts of self-harm, please seek professional help immediately. --- **About Me:** I'm Frieder—tinnitus coach, born deaf in my left ear, hearing aid user, and severe high-pitch tinnitus experiencer. I use Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people habituate to tinnitus and reclaim their lives. I've coached 700+ people through habituation, and yes, I take SSRIs myself. 🔔 **Subscribe** for weekly tinnitus science breakdowns, success stories, and habituation strategies. Next week: Another client success story! --- #tinnitus #SSRIs #tinnitusrelief #antidepressants #tinnitusresearch #mentalhealth #anxiety #depression #habituation #ACT #tinnitussupport #OHSU #serotonin #brainscience #tinnitusawareness Questions? Drop them in the comments—I'll do my best to help.
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    14 mins
  • Episode 151 - Tinnitus Habituation: The Question that Everyone asks at the Start

    Episode 151 - Tinnitus Habituation: The Question that Everyone asks at the Start
    Apr 10 2026
    Hey Tinnitus Friends and Family, Almost everyone who starts working with me asks the same question in week one. "Will this ever get better?" Sometimes it's more specific: "Will I ever sleep properly again?" "Will I ever stop thinking about it?" "Is this my life now?" Underneath all of them is the same fear: "I might be stuck here forever." In this episode we talk about: Googling at 2am trying to find a cure Avoiding quiet places and certain activities Bracing yourself for it to get worse Can't imagine a day where tinnitus isn't the main thing The question makes complete sense. When you're in week one, you have no evidence that things can change. You're in survival mode. Every day feels impossible. You've probably already tried a lot of things—and you're still here. So the question isn't just "Will it get better?" It's: "I've already tried so much and I'm still suffering. So will it?" What happens across 12 weeks: Important: It's not a linear improvement. There are hard weeks. There are spikes. There are moments of doubt. But the quality of the experience starts to shift: Weeks 2-5: Catastrophic thoughts start to loosen "This will never get better" becomes "This is really hard right now, but maybe it can shift" Sleep improves (not because the tinnitus got quieter, but because your nervous system starts to feel safer) Gaps appear - hours where tinnitus wasn't the main thing Weeks 8-10: People start making plans again Seeing friends, traveling, going to restaurants The tinnitus is still there—but it's moved from foreground to background Week 12: Something has genuinely settled Not silence. Not gone. But different. What people actually say in week 12: Almost nobody asks "Will it ever get better?" anymore. Because they have their answer. What they say instead: "I went to the concert (with ear protection) and I just... enjoyed it." "I'm working regularly again." "I'm doing sports again." "I'm getting back into life." These are not descriptions of the sound changing. These are descriptions of a life returning. The tinnitus volume is pretty much the same. But the brain downgraded the threat level. The volume knob turned down—not because the sound got quieter, but because life got bigger. What makes the difference: It's not time alone. Plenty of people have had tinnitus for years or decades without this change. It's specific: 1. Nervous system work Teaching your brain that tinnitus is safe—through lived experience, not just understanding. 2. ACT principles Acceptance (very different from what you think) Cognitive defusion (observing thoughts without being controlled by them) Values-based living (not forcing yourself to be okay, but learning you can do it) 3. Community support Being around other people who understand. Not family saying "Yeah, you have tinnitus, so what? Get on with it." But people saying: "This is difficult. I get it. But look—this person did this. You can do it too." The combination of: Understanding the mechanism Having somewhere to do the work Not being alone in it That's what creates this shift. That's why week 12 sounds different from week 1. Ready to understand where you are in your habituation journey? Take the free habituation quiz: www.habituate.online It takes 2 minutes and will help you: Identify your current stage Understand what's keeping you stuck Get personalized next steps After the quiz, you'll get our free 4-day email course on ACT-based tinnitus habituation. Want to join the 12-week program? Go to: www.mytinnitus.club — Frieder
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    11 mins
  • Episode 150 - The Hobby Tinnitus took from me (And how I claimed it back)

    Episode 150 - The Hobby Tinnitus took from me (And how I claimed it back)
    Apr 3 2026
    Hey Tinnitus Friends and Family, Cycling was everything to me. And then tinnitus started. Suddenly, the one thing that used to give me peace became unbearable. Why I stopped cycling: First: I was exhausted. All my energy was going into coping with tinnitus. Googling constantly. Trying supplements. Obsessing over whether it was louder or quieter. I had nothing left for cycling. It felt like too much. Second—and this was harder: When I did try to ride after a couple of months, all I could hear was the tinnitus. I'd be cycling through a forest. Beautiful landscape. Birdsong. Wind. And all I could focus on was the ringing. It ruined the whole experience. So I stopped. I told myself: "Just until things settle." Weeks became months. Months became almost a year. I was waiting for the tinnitus to get quieter so I could enjoy cycling again. But it never got quieter. What losing it cost: Losing cycling didn't just mean missing the rides. It meant losing my reset button. No way to clear my head. No way to feel like myself. Life got smaller. ACT principle: When we abandon our values to manage our discomfort, the discomfort doesn't decrease—but the life does. I thought I was protecting myself by avoiding the thing that hurt. But I was actually making my world smaller. And the smaller my world got, the bigger the tinnitus felt. Because there was nothing else competing for my brain's attention. Just me and the ringing. The shift - what changed: The tinnitus didn't get quieter. It's still loud. I can hear it right now. What changed was my relationship with needing it to be quiet. I realized: I was waiting for the tinnitus to not be there before I could enjoy cycling again. So I made a decision: What if I went cycling with the tinnitus? Not waiting for it to go away. Not fighting it. Not needing it to be quiet. Just going anyway. So I got on my bike. And I rode. The tinnitus was still there. Loud and clear. But here's what shifted: I stopped making the ride about the tinnitus. I stopped needing it to NOT be there. I let it be there—like my heartbeat, like my breath when I'm cycling. And for the first time in months, I felt like I could enjoy this again. I could hear the tinnitus and feel the wind. The tinnitus and the movement. The tinnitus and the joy of cycling. What this is really about: This is what values-based living means. This is what Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches: You don't wait for the discomfort to pass before you start living. You do what matters while the discomfort is present. And when you do that, your brain gets evidence: "I can do this. The sound is there, but I'm still me. I'm still living." That's when habituation happens. These days: I cycle all the time. Through forests. Along rivers. In complete nature. My tinnitus is there. Always. I can hear it. Loud and clear. But I don't pay attention to it. Not because I'm forcing myself to ignore it. Because I'm paying attention to something else. What's the thing you're putting on hold? Not a big question. A specific one. One thing you used to do that mattered to you. Cycling? Going to concerts? Reading in silence? Ready to understand where you are in your habituation journey? Take the free habituation quiz: www.habituate.online It takes 2 minutes and will help you: After the quiz, you'll get our free 4-day email course on ACT-based tinnitus habituation. Let me know in the comments: What's the one thing you put on hold? What would it take to try it again? I read every comment. New videos every Friday. — Frieder
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    10 mins
  • Episode 149 - Everything I Wish ENTs Knew About Tinnitus

    Episode 149 - Everything I Wish ENTs Knew About Tinnitus
    Mar 20 2026
    Hey Tinnitus Friends & Family, After working with 700+ people with tinnitus, they all told me the same story: "My ENT said there's nothing we can do. Go home, relax, don't worry about it." And then they were sent home—alone, terrified, with no support. In this episode, I break down: What ENTs get RIGHT: There's no medical cure for most tinnitus (true) They rule out serious medical causes (important) They can help with underlying causes (earwax, TMJ, infections) Here's what I wish ENTs would explain: 1. Tinnitus is a nervous system condition, not just an ear problem The biggest suffering doesn't come from the sound itself—it comes from your nervous system's response. When your nervous system is in fight-or-flight, tinnitus becomes a threat. Your brain amplifies it, monitors it constantly, won't let it fade. ENTs treat ears. They don't treat nervous systems. And we can't hold that against them—but you need to know there ARE tools for this. 2. Loudness ≠ suffering I've seen people with very loud tinnitus who aren't bothered at all. And people with mild tinnitus who are suffering intensely. The difference? Not the decibel level. The nervous system's response. ENTs often give the wrong prognosis based on loudness alone. They assume louder = worse suffering. That's not true. 3. Isolation makes it worse When an ENT says "nothing we can do" and sends you home, you're left alone with a condition your brain perceives as a threat. That isolation activates your nervous system even more. Your brain thinks: "I'm alone with danger. This must be serious." ENTs don't mention that community and co-regulation are part of the treatment. 4. Habituation is possible—and it's teachable ENTs say: "You'll have to learn to live with it." But they don't tell you how. They don't mention: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — the most evidence-based psychological approach for tinnitus Nervous system work — teaching your brain that tinnitus is safe Community support — co-regulation with people who understand They leave you to figure it out alone. My tinnitus is 0% of a problem. Why? Because I didn't wait for it to get quieter. I lived my life despite it. What I wish ENTs would say: Instead of: "There's nothing we can do. Good luck." I wish they'd say: "There's nothing medical we can do to eliminate the sound. But you CAN habituate through nervous system work, ACT, and community support. Here are resources." Where to start: Take the free habituation quiz: www.habituate.online It takes 2 minutes and helps you Let me know in the comments: What did your ENT tell you when you first got tinnitus? — Frieder
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    12 mins
  • Episode 148 - Why I Built My Tinnitus Club (And What Makes It Different From All Other Tinnitus Apps)

    Episode 148 - Why I Built My Tinnitus Club (And What Makes It Different From All Other Tinnitus Apps)
    Mar 13 2026
    At 19 years old, I developed severe tinnitus. I was terrified. Desperate. Completely alone. The ENT told me: "There's nothing we can do. You'll have to learn to live with it." And then sent me home. That experience is why I built My Tinnitus Club. I built what I needed when I was 19—and what I wish had existed back then. In this video, I'm sharing: Why apps, courses, and forums aren't enough What makes My Tinnitus Club different How community changes everything for tinnitus habituation Here's the problem with tinnitus apps: They treat tinnitus like a solo problem you solve alone. You download the app. Watch pre-recorded videos. Do exercises by yourself. Track progress on a chart. But when you're struggling at 2am—when your tinnitus is screaming and you think you'll never get better—the app isn't there. The algorithm doesn't know you're suffering. The pre-recorded videos can't respond to your specific situation. And that isolation? That's exactly what makes tinnitus worse. Here's what I've learned after working with 700+ people: Your nervous system doesn't learn safety from an algorithm. It learns safety from other humans. That's not motivational talk. That's neuroscience. We're wired for co-regulation—being around other people who've been through what we're going through. Apps can't give you that. But community can. Why I built My Tinnitus Club: When I was 19, I was born deaf in my left ear—so I only had one functioning ear. At 19, I damaged it at a concert. Severe, high-pitched tinnitus. I was terrified. I went to the ENT desperate for help. He said: "There's nothing we can do. Protect your hearing in the future. Good luck." No support. No resources. No follow-up. Just: "Figure it out on your own." So I did what most people do: Googled endlessly Read horror stories on forums Tried every supplement, sound therapy, supposed cure And I felt completely alone. Years later, when I became a tinnitus coach, I thought: "What if I had this at 19? What if I didn't have to spend years figuring this out alone?" So I built it. A safe space where people can: Learn the most effective tools for habituation (12-week ACT-based program) Be supported daily by real people who understand Never feel alone with tinnitus again I built what I needed when I was 19.
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    12 mins
  • Episode 147 - 5 Things That Actually Work for Tinnitus Relief (From 700+ Coaching Sessions)

    Episode 147 - 5 Things That Actually Work for Tinnitus Relief (From 700+ Coaching Sessions)
    Mar 6 2026
    Hey Tinnitus Friends & Family, After working with over 700 people with tinnitus through personal coaching and MyTinnitus.Club, I've seen what actually works for tinnitus relief—not just theories from studies, but real-world results from real people. This video covers the 5 most effective strategies I've consistently seen help people move toward habituation: Nervous System Regulation – Why tinnitus is more than an ear problem and how creating "islands of relaxation" reduces reactivity Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – How to make space for difficult thoughts without being consumed by them (not forced positivity) Community & Co-Regulation – Why isolation keeps you stuck and how connection rewires your brain's threat response Sleep (Done Right) – Stop fighting wakefulness and learn to allow sleep instead of achieving it Values-Based Living – Why waiting for habituation to live your life actually blocks habituation ⚠️ Important: This is NOT about promising silence, herbal cures, or expensive hearing aids. Real tinnitus relief is about retraining your brain's reaction to tinnitus—not eliminating the sound. Real examples from MyTinnitus.Club members included ✅ 📌 RESOURCES: Take the Habituation Quiz: habituate.online Join the 12-Week Program: mytinnitus.club Free 4-Day Course: [link] 🎯 WHO THIS IS FOR: People with chronic tinnitus who are tired of fighting the sound and ready to learn how to live well despite it. 🚫 WHO THIS ISN'T FOR: Anyone looking for miracle cures, quick fixes, or promises of silence. 💬 What's worked for YOU? Drop your experiences in the comments—let's help each other build that habituation muscle. 👍 Like, share, and subscribe if you found this helpful! #Tinnitus #TinnitusRelief #Habituation #ACT #TinnitusCoach Hear you soon! Frieder
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    14 mins
  • Episode 146 - Tinnitus Sound Therapy: The Truth I Tell My Clients

    Episode 146 - Tinnitus Sound Therapy: The Truth I Tell My Clients
    Feb 27 2026
    Hey Tinnitus Friends and Family, 120,000 people search for "tinnitus sound therapy" every month. And most of what they find is incomplete—or just wrong. I'm Tinnitus Coach Frieder. I'm ACT-trained, I've worked with over 700 people, and I'm the founder of My Tinnitus Club. Here's what I actually tell my clients about sound therapy—the truth you need to hear. In this video, I break down: The 3 types of sound therapy: 1. **Masking** – covering up tinnitus with external sound (white noise, fans, music) 2. **Sound enrichment** – background sound quieter than your tinnitus 3. **Notched sound therapy** – filtering out your tinnitus frequency to retrain your auditory system What sound therapy CAN do (short-term benefits): - Reduces contrast between silence and loud tinnitus - Provides temporary relief - Helps with sleep and difficult moments in early stages The 3 major limitations no one talks about: 1. It doesn't retrain your nervous system - Sound therapy distracts you, but doesn't teach your brain that tinnitus is safe - If you're using white noise 24/7, your nervous system is still in fight-or-flight - You're covering up the alarm bell—not turning it off 2. You can't use it everywhere - Business meetings, social situations, when battery dies - What happens when it stops? You're back to square one - You're stuck on a crutch instead of retraining your brain 3. It creates dependency - I've worked with people who panic when masking stops - The opposite of habituation - Teaches your brain you can ONLY be okay when you can't hear it Here's the truth: Sound therapy is a tool. It's not the solution. The solution is teaching your nervous system that tinnitus is safe to experience—**even in silence.** I can meditate with my tinnitus blaring. I can hear it over a four-lane street. But I have zero reaction to it. Why? Because my nervous system learned safety. What actually creates lasting tinnitus habituation (from 700+ cases): 1. Nervous system work Your brain learns through lived experience (not just understanding) that tinnitus is safe. 2. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - Accept difficult thoughts and feelings - Defuse from catastrophic thinking - Live by your values despite tinnitus 3. Community and co-regulation Your nervous system learns safety from being around other humans who've been through this. That's not motivational talk—that's neuroscience. 4. Tools for your triggers Sleep work, anxiety regulation, spike management—personalized to YOUR nervous system. This is why My Tinnitus Club exists. It's not just an app. It's not just pre-recorded videos. It's a community where you work through ACT tools together, with: - Weekly live group coaching with me - People who understand what you're going through - Personalized support for your journey Sound therapy can be part of your toolkit—especially at the start. But the foundation of real habituation? Nervous system work, ACT, and community. Ready to start? Take the free habituation quiz: www.habituate.online It takes 2 minutes and will help you: - Identify where you are in your habituation journey - Understand what's keeping you stuck - Get personalized next steps After the quiz, you'll get access to our free 4-day guide on tinnitus habituation. Want to go deeper? Check out My Tinnitus Club at www.mytinnitus.club for our 12-week ACT-based program with live coaching and community support. Hear you in the next one! Your Tinnitus Coach Frieder
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    11 mins