How the right support can change everything: Layla’s story

“I was scared, confused and honestly quite isolated”

Layla Simmons on  how the right support helped her find her way back from tinnitus.

My tinnitus became permanent around a year and a half ago. I was at a work event when I first noticed it creeping in. I’d experienced tinnitus before in short episodes, so initially I didn’t think too much of it. I assumed it would pass like it always had. But this time, it never left.

That was incredibly difficult for me. I was alone at the time, and I remember feeling scared, confused, and honestly quite isolated. At first, I didn’t fully understand what was happening, and the uncertainty of not knowing if it would ever stop was one of the hardest parts.

As the days turned into weeks, it started affecting me mentally. The anxiety, the overthinking, the fear – it became about so much more than just the sound itself.

 It became the first thing I noticed when I woke up and the last thing I heard before going to sleep. My sleep, concentration, work and mental health all began to suffer. I searched online constantly for answers, but the more I looked, the more overwhelmed I became.  

Then I found Tinnitus UK.  For the first time, I found trusted information and people who genuinely understood what I was going through. Hearing other people’s stories helped me realise that the fear, anxiety and stress I was experiencing were not unusual.  

Most importantly, it gave me hope. 

What helped me most was learning that what I was feeling: fear, stress, frustration, anxiety – was actually very normal. Reading other people’s stories and hearing from people who had learned to live with tinnitus gave me something I really needed at that time: hope.

It helped me understand that while tinnitus can feel overwhelming in the beginning, your relationship with it can change.

That’s why I’m asking you to support Tinnitus UK today

Tinnitus UK receives  £0 in government funding and relies on donations keep their services going.  

By donating today, you’re helping someone like me find support when tinnitus turns their world upside down.  

The right support really does change everything.