Hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) can increase one’s risk of developing mental illnesses. There are many benefits to protecting one’s hearing. Not only does it prevent or delay potential hearing loss, but also mental wellness becomes much better when you know the signs of any illness and have access for help as needed!
Anger and denial: Losing your hearing can be a drastic change to your everyday life that can be a difficult adjustment to get used to, causing feelings of anger. It is also common for people with hearing loss to be in denial about the severity of their hearing loss because it is a change that is hard to accept.
Depression and anxiety: Losing your hearing can make you feel like you lost part of your identity and can cause feelings of sadness and depression. Symptoms of depression can include crying, slowed responses, weight changes, and disrupted sleeping patterns. Hearing loss can also be anxiety-provoking.
Isolation and social withdrawal: It is common to avoid situations where it is difficult to hear in order to avoid feelings of stress, anxiety, and embarrassment about your hearing loss. Isolation and social withdrawal can also lead to feelings of depression or make them worse.
Fatigue: Losing your hearing can make you feel tired or fatigued because straining to hear properly demands more of your energy. “People with hearing loss often feel physically exhausted at the end of the day from the strain of trying to hear and make sense of what people are saying because of all the additional work that is involved in hearing”
Hearing loss is an incredibly common condition that affects around 12 million people in the UK, — roughly one in six people — and that number is set to grow to 14 million in the next 10 years.
Will wearing a hearing aid help?
Yes, if you have hearing loss then wearing a hearing aid can definitely help you when it comes to socialising and taking part in the activities you enjoy. Hearing aids can restore impairments at the level of your sensory organ which means you won’t have to strain to understand when people are speaking to you or steer clear of places with lots of background noise.
Socialising is key to maintaining good mental health, so you should do anything you can to help keep you meeting up with friends and family and enjoying your life. If you’re worried about your hearing at all, you can speak to one of our specialists visiting your local store.