Assistive listening devices and hearing aids can be used to treat the prevalent condition of hearing loss. Unfortunately, hearing loss frequently goes undiagnosed and untreated. For individuals with hearing loss, this can bring about feelings of social-separation and depression.
It can also lead to a breakdown in personal and professional relationships, which itself will foster more feelings of depression and solitude. The key to putting a stop to that downward spiral is treating your hearing loss.
Hearing loss and depression
We’ve been aware that hearing loss can cause feelings of isolation and depression for a long time now. Adults older than 50 with untreated hearing loss often describe feelings of depression and anxiety, according to one study. They were also more likely to avoid social activities. A lot of them had the feeling that people were getting mad at them and they didn’t know why. However, those who got hearing aids reported improvements in their relationships, and those around them – family, colleagues, and friends – also said they noticed improvements.
For individuals with hearing loss of higher than 25 decibels, who were between 18 and 70 years old, depression was more common. Increased depression wasn’t reported by people over 70 who had self-reported hearing loss. But that still means that a significant part of the population isn’t getting the help they need to improve their lives.
Mental health can be impacted by refusal to wear hearing aids or to lack of awareness
With reported results like those, it seems like a no-brainer that you would want to treat your hearing loss. Perhaps you just don’t think your hearing is that bad. You might think people are mumbling.
Another factor could be that you think treating your hearing loss is too expensive or time consuming.
It’s crucial to get a hearing test if you feel like you are being left out of conversations or are feeling anxious or depressed. We can talk about your options if we do find hearing loss. It could help you feel a lot better.
