Hearing Loss Linked to Depression by Monique Hammond
Why wait for help?
Does research show that hearing loss and depression are linked? Indeed, it does. As hearing loss becomes worse and affects every aspect of life, the emotional fall-out becomes more complicated and overwhelming.
So, why do people wait for up to ten years before they get tested and get help? Three out of five older Americans and six out of seven middle-aged Americans with hearing loss do not use hearing aids.
A persistent communication problem
Hearing loss is a persistent communication problem that impacts every aspect of life. Struggling to understand speech—especially in background noise—becomes a serious block to socializing with family and friends. It can also lead to mistakes and misunderstandings at work and to education issues at school.
In support groups, people often tell of feeling alone, of being belittled by others and of being ignored. They admit to frequent episodes of sadness. Many see themselves on the “outside” of conversations and activities even with those whom they have known for a long time.
All of this plays directly into the hands of isolation, depression and loneliness. Work days turn into tiring drags. By and by the fun drains out of Holiday parties or family reunions. Social events become painful experiences.
Hearing loss goes often undiagnosed
Most physicians do not test routinely for hearing loss at any age. Ears are never checked for wax. Ask for it! New Medicare recipients get the most basic of screenings as part of their entry physical.
And so hearing problems go all too often undiagnosed in medical practice. They are ignored as contributing factors to both emotional and physical issues. Symptoms of depression may be treated with medications, while hearing loss—the actual cause—goes unrecognized.
Avoid depression! Get help now!
Watch for tell-tale symptoms of hearing loss, such as: Do people seem to mumble? Is it difficult to understand, especially in noise? Do the ears feel plugged and sound seems weak and far away? Do hearing issues interfere with quality of life? If so, it is time to get a referral for professional hearing tests that evaluate the function of the different parts of the ears.
Such tests reveal the type and degree of loss, which in turn helps the hearing specialist chose the kind of technology that offers the best chance for boosting communication. It all depends on the diagnosis.
The choices for hearing help are quite varied. Besides hearing aids, there are many “assistive” options – from TV and personal amplifiers to captioned telephones and beyond. Special apps can even turn a smartphone into an assistive device.
Moving on
Even with the best of technologies, hearing will never be the same. Finding the best treatment and maybe even hearing specialist can be slow. Yet, many people have been helped by technology beyond their wildest dreams. There is an abundance of available resources out there.
So, rather than getting mired in depression, it pays to persist, to explore one’s options and to invest in oneself. Getting and accepting help is a chance for becoming involved once again with community and family and for moving on.
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To learn about ears and hearing, please see my book on hearing loss: What Did You Say? An Unexpected Journey into the World of Hearing Loss, now in its second updated edition. Sharing my story and what I had to learn the hard way.