Hearing loss is a common condition that can be mitigated easily with the use of hearing aids and assistive listening devices. But hearing loss is often neglected and untreated. For individuals who suffered from hearing loss, this can trigger feelings of social-isolation and depression.
It can also lead to a breakdown in personal and professional relationships, which itself will foster more feelings of depression and isolation. This is a vicious cycle that can be avoided, and treating your hearing loss is the key to ending that downward spiral.
Hearing loss and its link to depression
We’ve known that hearing loss can cause feelings of isolation and depression for a long time now. Adults older than 50 with neglected hearing loss often describe feelings of depression and anxiety, according to one study. They were also more likely to steer clear of social activities. A lot of them felt like people were getting angry at them and they weren’t sure why. But when those individuals got hearing aids, they reported improvements in their social condition, and other people in their life also noticed the difference.
For individuals with hearing loss of more than 25 decibels, who were between 18 and 70 years old, depression was more common. People over 70 with self-reported hearing loss didn’t show a significant difference in depression rates compared to individuals without hearing loss. But that still means that a large part of the population isn’t getting the help they need to better their lives.
Mental health can be impacted by refusal to use hearing aids or to lack of awareness
It seems like it would be obvious that you should get your hearing loss treated when you read reports like this. Maybe you think your hearing is okay. You think that people are mumbling.
You may just think it’s too costly.
It’s crucial to get a hearing assessment if you think that you are being left out of conversations or are feeling anxiety or depression. If there is hearing loss, we can talk about your options. It could help you feel a lot better.