The AudioNotch Tinnitus Treatment Blog

William Shatner is one of the more well known celebrities that suffers from tinnitus. He’s also a good case study on how to overcome the depression associated with tinnitus and to combat the psychological distress it can cause you.

Shatner first got his tinnitus when he was exposed to a loud explosion on the set of Star Trek. This, presumably, caused some high frequency hearing loss, which in turn triggered his tinnitus. After getting tinnitus, he suffered from terrible mood issues, and had difficulty sleeping. Eventually, however, it seems that he was able to habituate to the sound and adapt to its constant presence.

After adapting to his tinnitus, Shatner went on to accomplish a lot of things in the film industry. He didn’t let it hold him back.

The topic of habituation is a controversial one among tinnitus sufferers. Basically, it seems that most people are able to adapt to their tinnitus tone, such that it does not cause them significant psychological distress. This occurs after a long period of time with the tone. However, this doesn’t happen for everyone, for poorly understood reasons. It’s possible that people more vulnerable to anxiety and depression are more susceptible to being “pushed” over the edge, but that alone isn’t likely the only factor at play. There’s evidence that personality traits can affect coping mechanisms too.

I personally habituated after having tinnitus for a couple of months. But certainly, in the acute phase, I was very depressed, anxious, and had difficulty sleeping. So I know what it’s like.

If you’re feeling sad, I suggest talking to your doctor, who may be able to provide medical help for that. Not everyone needs it but there’s no shame in asking for it.