I heard from another OPN wearer who shared that his audi told him that many traditional wearers who are her clients don’t take on well with the OPN because they’re used to the traditional way of noise reduction, which is blocking out sounds. So I think if you’ve worn HAs for the last 30 years, you’re probably very used to how hearing through traditional HAs should be, so the OPN for sure must be much harder for you to adapt. I can empathize because I had the same experience the first month I wore the OPN. All the noises of every kind bothered me a lot. But about a month later it got better and better. I think everybody adjust differently and some longer than others, especially the longer you’ve worn HAs, or the older you are.
But like you said, the OPN still offers a directional mode to help users adapt more gradually, and it looks like you’re taking advantage of that mode. I have it in one of my 3 programs, too, although I don’t use it anymore (and rarely used it before, too). So they didn’t entirely do away with the old technology. They’re capable of both technologies, and the user has a choice on how they want to use it.
I don’t know how long it’ll take you to adapt to it, so all I can say is stick with it if you already own it, and it looks like you’re making the most of it anyway. That’s all you can do on your part, and I think your brain will eventually sort itself out and you’ll gradually feel more at ease with it. It may take you 6 months or a year, but time is on your side and it can only get better and time passes. Meanwhile, use the directional mode whenever you need to. That’s why it’s there, a push of a button away, just like your old HAs anyway.