The noise in my head nearly destroyed me

Although I have always been a naturally optimistic person, one evening two years ago I found myself saying to my partner in a calm, matter-of-fact voice, ‘If nothing has changed in six months, I’m going to have to kill myself.’ I was referring to the tinnitus sound in my ears – an internal wind tunnel that constantly blew through my head.

The Ear, Nose and Throat consultant had blamed stress and said the noise would lessen if I stopped listening for it.

‘My internal hum only increased’

Unfortunately, my brain had become so alert to even the most innocuous threat, I could have heard a pin drop in the next room. Something