Usually, with age, hearing loss happens. Sometimes, this can happen as early as your 40s; for others, it could happen as late as their 70s. Sometimes, accidents happen to wear tinnitus could happen. Regardless of how or when hearing loss happens, you can expect hearing loss to be a challenging journey, impacting not only the ability to perceive sounds but also influencing various aspects of life.
Essentially, it’s a life-changing thing, and usually, it’s not perceived for the better. Just as you would support a family member who’s experiencing this, you need to support yourself through this, too. It’s so important to do this because one of the most common pitfalls individuals face when dealing with hearing loss is the tendency to withdraw and isolate themselves.
Again, age doesn’t matter because both young and old tend to do this due to shame, fear, embarrassment, and other emotions. But with that said, here’s the importance of staying connected and avoiding isolation during the journey of coping with hearing loss.
Preserving Your Mental Health
You have to keep in mind that isolation can take a toll on mental health, and dealing with hearing loss is no exception. The sense of loneliness and disconnection can contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety. The longer you’re isolated, the worse this can get. So, with that said, by actively seeking and maintaining social connections, individuals with hearing loss can combat these negative emotions and foster a healthier state of mind.
You Essentially Need to Keep Your Communications Skills Up
Another thing that you really need to know is that isolation isn’t just bad for mental health, but for prolonged periods, this can inadvertently hinder communication skills. So why is isolation so prevalent in the first place? If you ask someone enough times to repeat themselves, does this embarrass you? Sometimes, missing information that someone is telling you (or even in a group conversation) could frustrate you or others around you.
These feelings are common, but this doesn’t mean that you should hide away and accept that this is your life now. In fact, technology’s role in hearing aid evolution has been astounding! With hearing aids, you can finally hear and understand what everyone is telling you; no need to repeat or fear you’re missing out on the conversation.
Again, it can depend on how long, but engaging in conversations, even in challenging listening environments, provides valuable opportunities to adapt and improve communication strategies. That’s why it’s so important that just staying connected with others allows individuals with hearing loss to refine their ability to lip-read, use assistive devices effectively, and navigate various communication settings.
You Need to Empower Yourself
Humans are social creatures; we thrive off communication and acceptance from others. Think about it this way: staying connected empowers you (and those with hearing loss in general) to become effective self-advocates. You’ll basically be advocating for yourself.
You have to communicate your needs; you need to. Plus, it’s really going to help to start educating others about your condition. Honestly, most people don’t mind accommodating those with hearing loss, especially since this is a necessity. This self-advocacy is essential for breaking down barriers and fostering understanding.
