Is CBT is Right For You?

To Benefit from CBT for Tinnitus you must:

1. COMMIT TO ACCEPTANCE

The goal of CBT is to accept tinnitus, dismiss its importance, redirect attention to coexisting peacefully with tinnitus and living a full life. To be effective, you must commit to accepting tinnitus, and letting go of attempts to treat it. Persistent effort to gain control over tinnitus, reduce the volume, make it stop, while understandable, will substantially delay your progress.

2. COMMIT TO PATIENCE

CBT is not a quick fix for tinnitus. While improvement is often noted in the first few weeks, the fact is tinnitus habituation is gradual and full habituation takes a long time to achieve. Progress is measured in months, not days, and attaining the highest levels of habituation may take a year or more. The program includes motivational skills to help maintain your resolve.

3. COMMIT TO PRACTICE

CBT is a set of skills and, like all skills, must be practiced regularly to achieve their effect.

4. COMMIT TO GETTING THE RIGHT TREATMENT‍ ‍

About 50% of people with tinnitus distress also have a treatable anxiety condition (or depression, or OCD). This is not an obstacle to benefiting from the ACE Your Tinnitus program. In fact, many people with histories of anxiety (depression, OCD) have found the ACE program helps with that as well. It will be important to consult with your primary care provider or a local behavioral health professional to discuss options for treatment of anxiety (or depression, or OCD), if you are not already in treatment.