I'm only 13 and I just found out that I have tinnitus. Help and advice please?

I don't know when my tinnitus started or exactly what started it, but I'm very sure that my tinnitus isn't very new to me. I listen and play music a lot, but I keep the music volume on my iPod on a rather safe level, but around five months ago, I got into the habit of listening to music a bit louder than recommended, to drown out noises from the outside. This was when I wasn't really aware of it's long term damage and effects. It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago when I stumbled upon a tinnitus awareness article and clicked it. I knew that I hear ringing noises in my ear 24/7, and I knew that I have tinnitus. I was shocked and almost cried, when they said that this would last forever, and is associated with hearing loss. I am really scared that this is a sign that I am going deaf. I had otitis media when i was around 7, and my e.n.t said it was gone now. I'm not very sure if this is related to tinnitus. Otitis media is a middle ear infection, this might have damaged my sensitive hearing and cause tinnitus.

I've been feeling down the past couple of weeks because of this, I didn't want to talk to anyone, and I wasn't the same. I keep thinking that I'm gonna lose my hearing, and music is my life. I sometimes kinda tear up and think about my future, about becoming deaf.

I don't listen to music very loudly anymore, in fact I keep the volume below normal, because I'm worried that I might worsen it. Until now, I don't know why but, I haven't told my parents yet, because I'm scared about what they and the doctor will tell me, because after all, there is no treatment for this, and I don't really know if I'm going deaf. I've been feeling really depressed and sad about every aspect of tinnitus, hearing loss, deafness. Today, it seemed that my tinnitus got a little bit louder. I've been spending hours searching on tinnitus.

This tinnitus is really driving me mad, I just want to pull my hairs out. It really depresses me, and I have constant anxiety about losing my hearing and this tinnitus is gonna stick with me my whole life.

I remembered, about 3 weeks ago, me and my friends were messing around, and one of them screamed into my ear really loudly, after that, my ear was a bit muffled for about 5 minutes and went back... not as loud as it should be. Do you think this might have worsen my case, and my otitis media is coming back again? I just found out that this tinnitus is a symptom of otitis media, or it could have been the tinnitus that was started by my otitis media six years ago.


Some advice and help would really be appreciated!