How Hearing Loss Interferes with Your Relationships

As humans, we rely on daily interactions and conversations to help us feel more connected to our world. We share ideas, laughs, love and fun with our friends and family, but when we are experiencing hearing loss, the world becomes more isolated place to be. Something as small as a casual smile on the street and a conversation in the grocery store can change our day, but when you can’t hear what someone is saying to you it affects your daily life. Hearing can fade because of age, trauma and noise – there’s not just one reason for it to decline. The things you have done day-to-day become more frustrating, and the conversations you got used to having at the checkout become worrisome because you don’t want to ask people to repeat themselves. As your hearing declines, your confidence can follow suit and even your closest friends and relatives will notice.

Affecting those around you

It’s embarrassing to constantly ask people to repeat what they’ve said. Eventually, individuals with hearing loss stop asking people to say it again, and that can end up with relationships drifting. You’ll notice hearing loss when certain pitches and tones go missing from conversations, and that’s where you mishear something somebody says. Conversations become far less enjoyable and constant clarification becomes tiresome. This leads to speaking less, afraid to ask for clarity and then there’s the trouble hearing people in a crowd. You then stop going to group events because you’re worried you won’t be able to understand what people say to you in a crowd. Hearing loss can affect the way you interact with others, and this puts a great strain on those relationships as a result. Speaking to a hearing instrument specialist will help you to understand what you should do about it.

Relationships need communication

All relationships – whether personal or professional – require clear communication. When you allow hearing loss to remain untreated, a barrier is created that makes it difficult to connect on a personal level. When you can’t properly hear, it’s far more challenging to maintain relationships with those around you. Asking family members, coworkers and friends to constantly repeat themselves becomes tiresome – for everyone involved. Hearing aids are the most widely recommended treatment for hearing loss, with several different styles to choose from. Whether you want privacy or something feature-packed, you can find a solution that is ideal for your specific needs. The most common styles include:

• Behind the ear (BTE)
• In the ear (ITE)
• In the canal (ITC)
• Completely in canal (CIC)
• Invisible in canal (IIC)

Getting the right hearing aids will enable you to communicate during your everyday activities, whether you’re giving a presentation at a work meeting or are simply catching up with friends over lunch.

Social isolation affects mental health

It’s natural for our hearing to decline as we get older. One in three people over the age of 65 have been diagnosed with hearing loss. If you allow your hearing loss to remain untreated, it’s likely you will begin to experience mental health ramifications, like social isolation, depression and anxiety. Treating your hearing loss will help combat these side effects, allowing you to lead a more fulfilling life. Hearing aids can help you hear, as this can help you to capture the tones that you would otherwise miss. Hearing aids will help you to communicate better with those around you, making it easier to reconnect.

Heal with hearing aids

If you are hearing less when you are with your friends, or you are finding that you are unable to keep up with the conversation, then it’s time to get your hearing tested. Relationships shouldn’t have to be affected as a result of hearing loss, and you can prevent that from happening. Hearing aids will help you to amplify the sound around you and this can help you to communicate once more. And depending on the technology you select, you can enjoy a wealth of different benefits, like noise reduction, multisettings, Bluetooth and directional microphones. Untreated hearing loss is difficult to cope with, but by contacting The Hearing Guy, they will find the best solution for you. Your hearing instrument specialist will be able to talk you through what to expect from a hearing test and hearing aid fitting Our team will work with you to find the best hearing aids for your particular level of hearing loss. Contact us today at (828) 333-5781.