Assistive listening devices and hearing aids can be used to treat the prevalent condition of hearing loss. But hearing loss is frequently neglected and untreated. This can result in greater depression rates and feelings of solitude in those who have hearing loss.
And these feelings of depression and isolation can be increased by the breakdown of professional and personal relationships which often come with hearing loss. The key to ending that downward spiral is treating your hearing loss.
Hearing loss and its connection to depression
It’s true that neglected hearing loss is linked to experiencing depressive symptoms – and this isn’t a new phenomenon. 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, people who got hearing aids reported improvements in their relationships, and the people around them – family, co-workers, and friends – also stated that they saw 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 large part of the population is not getting the help they need to better their lives.
Mental health can be impacted by refusal to wear hearing aids or to lack of awareness
It seems as if it would be clear that you should get your hearing loss treated when you read reports like this. Maybe you simply don’t think your hearing is that bad. You think that others are mumbling.
Another issue could be that you believe treating your hearing loss is too expensive or time consuming.
It’s imperative that anyone who has dealt with symptoms of depression or anxiety, or the sense that they are being left out of conversations because people appear to be talking too quietly or mumbling too much, get their hearing checked. If there is hearing loss, we can discuss your options. It could help you feel much better.
