Assistive listening devices and hearing aids can be utilized to treat the common condition of hearing loss. But hearing loss is often ignored and untreated. For individuals with hearing loss, this can bring about feelings of social-separation and depression.
It can also cause a breakdown in personal and work relationships, which itself will foster more feelings of depression and isolation. This is a horrible cycle that can be prevented, and treating your hearing loss is the key to ending that downward spiral.
Hearing loss and its link to depression
It’s true that neglected hearing loss is connected to experiencing depressive symptoms – and this isn’t a new phenomenon. Adults older than 50 with untreated hearing loss often report feelings of depression and anxiety, according to one study. They were also more likely to refrain from social activities. A lot of them felt like people were getting angry at them and they weren’t sure why. But when those people got hearing aids, they reported improvements in their social situation, and others in their life also noticed the difference.
For people with hearing loss of higher than 25 decibels, who were between 18 and 70 years old, depression was more common. Individuals over 70 with self-reported hearing loss did not show a significant difference in depression rates compared to individuals without hearing loss. But there are still a great many individuals who need help and aren’t getting it.
Lack of awareness or unwillingness to wear hearing aids impacts mental health
It seems like it would be clear that you should get your hearing loss treated when you read reports like this. Perhaps you simply don’t think your hearing is that bad. You may think people are mumbling.
Another factor could be that you believe treating your hearing loss is too costly or time consuming.
It’s essential that anyone who has dealt with symptoms of depression or anxiety, or the feeling that they are being left out of interactions because people appear to be talking too quietly or mumbling too much, have their hearing tested. If there is hearing loss, we can talk about your options. That might be all you need to feel a whole lot better.