Treating Hearing Loss Helps You Stay Socially Connected

Part of the reason that people reduce their social activities as they get older is because of hearing loss. Of course, this can also occur in younger people. It becomes harder to hear what people say and then embarrassing to continually ask them to repeat themselves. Withdrawing socially like this leads to further physical and mental issues that can affect your quality of life.

Socializing is no longer exhausting

It isn’t usually a big deal to ask someone to repeat something. Other people don’t mind this either most of the time. However, if you have to repeatedly ask it can become tiresome and stressful, both for you and the speaker. At times like this it’s often easier to just pretend like you heard something or somehow withdraw from the conversation. But that also starts to affect your social life as well as your mental and emotional wellbeing. When you use a hearing device it removes that invisible barrier between you and others. Suddenly you can hear as well as friends and family members or in some cases better. Wearing a hearing device makes your hearing sharper and easier relieving the stress and exhaustion of socializing.

Treating hearing loss eliminates stigma

People who are hard of hearing often have to ask people to speak up or repeat themselves. Sadly, this can cause some stigma as it becomes tiresome for people and those affected are difficult to communicate with. This can lead to feelings of shame and abandonment. While unfortunate there is no need for these feelings to arise from these circumstances. Not in the modern work where hearing devices are now so advanced. When you consult with your audiologist and have a hearing device fitted you will eliminate any stigma you experience. In today’s world there is no reason you should have to deal with judgements from other people about your hearing difficulties, but this can still happen and lead to mental and emotional issues. Fitting a hearing aid is a fast solution to eliminating the problem.

It gets you out of a rut

It’s accurate to describe loneliness as a rut. It might start off with social withdrawal for some reason, but it can then persist because you are afraid to return to that same situation. You may experience fear, either rational or irrational, that prevents you from stepping out the front door. If the reason you don’t leave the house and engage with your social circle is because of your hearing issues then you may be missing out on a better quality of life. In reality a hearing aid can allow you to engage with social groups again in the same way you did previously.

It improves your ear health

Regardless of the type of hearing loss you experience you will improve your social life by attending to the health of your ears. Better hearing, after all, means better social engagement and inclusion. A hearing test can really help to improve your ear health. When was the last time you went for an ear exam? In reality it should be as often as you go to the dentist for a checkup, around once a year. A hearing test will pick up on any minor hearing issues you have, such as a buildup of wax and offer effective treatments. In more extreme cases you may need a hearing device.

It prevents social isolation

Social isolation can affect people of any age, but it is most prevalent in older people. Those over the age of 65 might find it more difficult to leave the house due to physical or mental ailments. Hearing can be one of those ailments and a significant factor in social isolation. Social isolation is unhealthy for both the body and the mind. One major barrier to socializing for many older adults is their hearing capacity. Nobody wants to feel on the outside of a group or embarks themselves by asking people to continually repeat themselves. Your hearing may not be the only issue, but treating it will be a big step out of isolation and back into the social world.

Hearing loss leads to brain atrophy

Many people don’t realize the cognitive effect that hearing loss can produce. When we can’t engage with people socially and withdraw or when we can’t hear the ordinary sounds in our environment, ordinary connections between neurons in the brain no longer fire properly and cause it to prematurely atrophy. This further reduces our capacity to function. If you experience hearing loss or require a hearing test contact your local audiologist at Salyer Hearing Center. Call us today at Sylva: 828-586-7474, Franklin: 828-524-5599, Murphy: 828-835-1014, to speak to an audiologist.