Hearing loss is one of those things that is generally accepted will occur to everyone to some extent as they age.
Hearing loss refers to reduced hearing, and this can be caused by any one or more of many factors. It can either be congenital or acquired later in life. Hearing loss ranges from mild, where you might have difficulty hearing in specific situations like crowded rooms, or it can be profound, where you cannot hear anything at all.
The simplest solution to the problem is buying hearing aids. You simply pop them into both ears (and sometimes only one ear), and then life returns to normal.
Unfortunately, it is not always that easy for everyone.
Many sufferers of hearing loss will fail to admit they have a hearing problem for as long as they possibly can. Loss of hearing is a sign that you are getting old and need help with a big part of the normal daily activities of living, that is, hearing what is going on around you.
In extreme cases, there can be some terrible consequences of this denial.
One example is an elderly woman who was killed when she stepped into the road in front of an Ambulance racing to an emergency with its siren blaring. Was this loss of life because she simply failed to hear the Ambulance siren?
Hearing loss has impacts on mental health, social participation, and work-life.
- fewer educational and job opportunities due to impaired communication
- social withdrawal reduced access to services and difficulties communicating with others
- emotional problems due to loss of self-esteem and confidence.
Hearing loss and your mental and emotional health
It is not unusual to experience changes to your self-esteem and the way that you interact with others, this can create these issues:
Anger and denial – the changes hearing loss causes in your everyday life can be a difficult adjustment to get used to, causing feelings of anger. Denial about the severity of their hearing loss is also common because it is a change that is hard to accept.
Depression and anxiety – hearing loss can make you feel like you have lost part of your identity, leading to feelings of sadness and depression. Symptoms of depression can include crying, slowed responses, weight changes, and disrupted sleeping patterns. When you are about to have a conversation with someone, it can create a lot of stress and worry that you are going to miss parts of the conversation, and this creates anxiety. You may start avoiding social situations to avoid conversations.
Isolation and social withdrawal – avoiding situations where it is difficult to hear because they cause feelings of stress, anxiety, and embarrassment about your hearing loss. This leads to feelings of depression or makes them worse.
Fatigue – losing your hearing can make you feel tired or fatigued because straining to hear properly demands more of your energy.
Social consequences of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss sufferers often find it extremely difficult to participate in social activities, even within their own families. Common problems include:
- Isolation and withdrawal
- Inattentiveness
- Bluffing
- Distraction/Lack of concentration
Difficulties at work that may lead to giving up work
- Problems participating in social life and reduced social activity
- Problems communicating with wife/husband, friends, and relatives
- Problems communicating with children and grandchildren
- Loss of intimacy
- Sexual problems
How Hearing Loss May Affect Your Job
Almost 22 million workers in the United States are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work. Hearing loss can affect job performance and earning power.
Studies have shown that people who do not treat their hearing loss have lower earning power than colleagues with normal hearing, and that using hearing aids.
Research shows that those with hearing loss have a much harder time finding employment, with higher rates of unemployment and much lower wages than their hearing peers. Even those with mild hearing loss made $14,000 less per year than their peers with no hearing loss.
If you think you can’t afford hearing aids, think again. This is an investment that will make you money.
Summary
Of all the issues that you can face as a result of hearing loss, one solution stands out.
The sooner you act about your hearing loss, the sooner you can get assistance to help you and avoid all the negative issues that hearing loss creates.
Hearing aids might be expensive, and they might take some time to get used to. But if you take your time and take advice on the hearing aids that best suit you, then those minor issues can be overcome, and you will view them as a great investment.
With your hearing restored, you will find your life is much improved because you can hear so everything taking place around you, including conversations with those special people in your life.
