The AudioNotch Tinnitus Treatment Blog

For some individuals, it appears as if tinnitus can precipitate some very serious mental illnesses such as severe depression, which may unfortunately culminate in suicide:

Of 9,000 patients who have come to the tinnitus clinic at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, clinic director Billy Martin said he was aware of eight who committed suicide. Most of the patients show up with insomnia, anxiety and depression, along with their tinnitus.

“The combination is extremely difficult to deal with,” he said. “The load this places on people is beyond what any human was designed to endure.”

This combination of tinnitus, insomnia, anxiety and depression is a serious issue. If you are suffering from mental illness that appears to be related to your tinnitus, please speak to your doctor and seek treatment for these serious illnesses. 

This information has an important qualification, however: I am not aware of any studies showing a clear causative link between the development of tinnitus and an increased suicide risk – if you’re aware of such a study, please post it in the comments.

Best,
AudioNotch