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No one should be alone in this world, and maintaining positive relationships with the people that matter the most depends on communication. Imagine trying to make a new friend without being able to communicate, or maintain a healthy relationship with your spouse when you can’t have a good conversation. Your ability to communicate is what gives you a rich and vibrant social life, and lets you form meaningful connections at home, among friends, and even at work. When you have hearing loss, your ability to communicate is compromised, and you’ll struggle to maintain your relationships.
The Effects of Hearing Loss
If you have hearing loss, you struggle to hear clearly, and have a hard time following conversation. You use all your energy straining to hear the words, but the meaning, tone, or context of what’s been said may be lost. When you can’t communicate, your relationships will suffer, and you’ll start to notice the effects of hearing loss, including:
- Difficulty following conversations.
- Struggling to hear on the phone.
- Asking people to repeat themselves many times.
- Feeling frustrated that you can’t understand what’s been said.
- Avoiding social situations where you may not be able to hear clearly.
- Struggling with social anxiety or isolation.
- Suffering from anxiety, increased stress, or even depression.
- Hearing Loss and Your Relationships
When you have a hearing loss and you struggle to understand speech and follow conversations, you may feel embarrassed in situations where you can’t hear what’s been said. You may choose to stay at home rather than meeting friends, since group conversations in noisy restaurants and cafes, have become particularly challenging. Even when your friends repeat themselves, you can’t understand enough of what they say to enjoy the conversation, and you risk mishearing and answering inappropriately. Before long, these relationships will begin to suffer, and you risk losing some of the connections you’ve spent years building.
Hearing Loss and Your Family
Hearing loss doesn’t just affect you; it has a profound affect on your family. Your intimacy with your family depends on ongoing communication, whether it’s sharing the little moments that make life special, or talking through big changes, like an upcoming marriage, or your grandchild graduating from college. When you can’t communicate with your loved ones, conversations often turn into yelling matches where everyone gets frustrated, weakening your relationships. You will feel isolated and alone in your hearing loss, but your family will also struggle with loneliness, as they feel you slipping further and further away.
Hearing Loss Will Get Worse
If left untreated, your hearing loss will get worse. In fact, when you don’t treat your hearing loss with a quality pair of hearing devices, your hearing loss will deteriorate even faster. When you live with untreated hearing loss, you risk further damage to the cells in your inner ear, as you crank up the volume even louder to try to accommodate your hearing loss without hearing aids. Not only that, but you may even be risking the health of the auditory center in your brain. When your ears stop sending signals to the brain about the sounds around you, the cells in your brain get reallocated to other tasks, or may even die. When you do finally treat your hearing loss, you may never be able to hear those sounds again.
Hearing Aids Improve your Relationships
Don’t settle for a life of isolation and loneliness, and don’t lose your family and friends. If you have a hearing loss, treat your hearing with a quality pair of hearing aids, protect your hearing, and strengthen your relationships. Today’s hearing instruments are more advanced than ever before, and a tiny device tucked behind your ear, or a nearly invisible hearing aid nestled in your ear canal can change the way you interact with the world around you.
With hearing devices, you’ll be able to hear speech without straining to hear, and you’ll easily catch every word that’s been said, even in places with a lot of background noise. You’ll be able to put the time and effort into your relationships without worrying about your hearing loss, and can enjoy all the special moments of connection with your family. Treat your hearing loss as soon as possible to improve your quality of life and your relationships.