Last year, after more than a year of unexplained symptoms, I was diagnosed with TMJ/D, a condition that led to ongoing tinnitus and completely changed my day-to-day life. Living with tinnitus has shown me just how difficult and exhausting it can be, and why it is so often misunderstood. It’s not just the sound itself, but the fact that you never really get a break from it. There’s no true silence (which we rely on more than we realise), no switch-off, and no moment where your mind can fully rest. The constant noise, lack of sleep, loss of trust in your own body, and a nervous system that never truly settles can quietly impact your energy, focus, and overall wellbeing in ways that aren’t always visible to others, and ways that are hard to understand unless you have experienced it yourself.

Alongside this, I dealt with ongoing pain, headaches, fatigue, and tension from my jaw dysfunction, which gradually made everyday life harder to manage. As the symptoms built up, the physical strain and mental load began to affect my ability to function day to day. This is something I share because it highlights how conditions like tinnitus don’t just exist in isolation, and they can influence every part of your life and make other struggles more difficult to manage. At one point, it meant I had to step away from university for a while, simply to give myself the time and space to understand what was happening and learn how to cope.

Living in a constant state of stress has shown me how deeply tinnitus can affect both your body and your mind. At times it felt overwhelming and claustrophobic, even though on the outside I probably looked completely fine. You can still go to work, see friends and carry on as normal, while inside it’s exhausting and hard to fully be present. Over time, it can affect your mood, confidence and sense of direction, especially being young and at a stage of life where everything is still taking shape, as so much energy goes into simply coping and adjusting to a life that no longer feels as easy as it once did. That contrast, between how things look and how they feel, is one of the reasons I feel so strongly about raising awareness. Invisible conditions like tinnitus can be incredibly consuming, yet so easily overlooked.

This isn’t something I usually find easy to talk about. Being reminded of it can trigger a lot of anxiety for me and I’m not one to speak so openly, but I’ve chosen to share my experience here because awareness and understanding matter just as much as fundraising. Going through this has also changed the way I see others, it’s made me more aware of how important kindness, patience, and compassion are, because you truly never know what someone may be dealing with behind the scenes. That’s why supporting this charity feels so important to me, as tinnitus is something many people live with quietly and without much understanding.

Now, I’m in a better place. I’m back at university, learning how to manage my symptoms, and gradually finding my balance again. I still have difficult days, but I’ve also learned how to cope better and appreciate what my body can do. Running has become a huge part of that, a way to clear my head, feel stronger, and turn a difficult experience into something positive.

That’s why I’ve decided to run the Plymouth Half Marathon for Tinnitus UK. This will be my first challenge for the charity, but it won’t be my last. I want to help raise awareness, support vital research, and contribute to making tinnitus better understood. Being able to support this amazing charity truly means so much to me, and I’d be incredibly grateful for any donations or support along the way.

Thank you so much to anyone who is able to donate or just reads about my experience to better understand this condition, I really appreciate it :)