Hearing Loss and Isolation
When suffering from hearing loss we may start to distance ourselves socially as we begin to struggle to communicate. Hearing loss is a factor in social isolation and loneliness at all ages, but more specifically in older people.
This lack of social engagement and loneliness may further contribute to cognitive decline and depression but with the advancement in hearing aid technology, this needn’t be the case.
When we begin to have a degree of hearing loss, we will find it more difficult to understand people in conversation, in work environments people talking across each other along with all of the background noises will make it hard to hear and often we will miss parts of conversation when someone speaks directly to us.
This leads us to withdraw and not get involved in conversation which increases our feelings of isolation and in turn leads to us withdrawing further still, a vicious cycle.
What Can I Do To Avoid This?
If you think you may be withdrawing a little, and it may be down to some level of hearing loss, you can reduce the impact and prevent further isolation by treating the problem.
You may have been fooling yourself into thinking your hearing loss isn’t too bad; people just mumble, TV shows are recorded weird these days so you can avoid facing the fact that you may have some level of hearing loss.
Left untreated, hearing loss won’t magically disappear; your symptoms are actually more likely to get worse and prolong your needless suffering.
We provide a quick, easy, painless and stress-free hearing test which will tell us the level of hearing loss you have, which frequencies are being missed and may explain a lot of your struggles to you, making you feel much better. If hearing aids are required, these will immediately make you feel more confident in joining in conversations, your workplace won’t seem so intimidating, and everyone around you will notice a difference.
Of course, there’s no definitive evidence that says hearing aids prevent any form of social isolation, but improving your ability to hear will definitely improve your quality of life regardless. In turn, this will make you feel more at ease in social situations, which increases the likelihood you’ll accept invitations (and maybe increase the amount you receive).
Get In Touch
If you feel someone in your family is withdrawing and that their hearing may be a contributing factor, encourage them to get in touch with us too. We can even come to their home to carry out a hearing test if they can’t get to us.
Hearing aids come in all shapes and sizes now, and some are practically invisible, so if you’re worried about them spoiling your style, you can rest assured you’ll be able to find something that suits you and works for your lifestyle. Lots of hearing aids are now compatible with Bluetooth, so you can integrate them into your phones, laptops and tablets.
To find out more about how we can treat hearing loss or to book a hearing test get in touch today.
You can call 01704 505283 or email info@discretionhearing.com
We’re 100% independent, so you won’t get any hard sell, just personal, honest advice.
We’re here to help you hear.