Assistive listening devices and hearing aids can be utilized to treat the common condition of hearing loss. However, hearing loss often goes undiagnosed and unaddressed. This can lead to greater depression rates and feelings of isolation in those who have hearing loss.
And these feelings of depression and separation can be enhanced by the breakdown of professional and personal relationships which frequently accompany hearing loss. 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 depression
It’s true that untreated hearing loss is connected to developing depressive symptoms – and this isn’t a new phenomenon. Adults older than 50 with untreated hearing loss frequently describe feelings of depression and anxiety, according to one study. They also reported being less socially involved. A lot of them had the feeling that people were getting angry at them and they didn’t know why. But when those individuals got hearing aids, they reported improvements in their social situation, and other people in their life also noticed the difference.
Another study found that people between ages 18 and 70, reported a greater sense of depression if they had hearing loss of more than 25 Decibels. Increased depression was not reported by individuals over 70 who had self-reported hearing loss. But that still means that a significant part of the population is not getting the help they require to improve their lives.
Lack of awareness or unwillingness to use hearing aids impacts mental health
With reported results like these, it seems like a no-brainer that you would want to treat your hearing loss. Maybe you think your hearing is okay. You might think people aren’t speaking clearly.
Another factor could be that you think treating your hearing loss is too expensive or time consuming.
It’s crucial to get a hearing exam if you think that you are being left out of conversations or are feeling anxiety or depression. We can talk about your options if we do find hearing loss. It could help you feel a lot better.