Hearing Aids can help minimize the negative consequence of the prevalent condition of hearing loss. Still, a lot of hearing loss goes undiscovered and untreated – and that can lead to greater depression rates and feelings of solitude in people with hearing loss.
And it can quickly become a vicious circle where solitude and depression from hearing loss cause a breakdown in personal and work relationship leading to even worse depression and isolation. Getting hearing loss treated is the key to preventing this unnecessary cycle.
Studies Link Hearing Loss to Depression
Symptoms of depression have been continuously connected, according to numerous studies, to hearing loss. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and paranoia were, based upon one study, more likely to impact people over 50 who struggle with untreated hearing loss. They were also more likely to avoid social activities. Many reported that they felt as if people were getting angry at them for no apparent reason. However, those who wore hearing aids noted improvements in their relationships, and the people in their lives – family, co-workers, and friends – also observed improvements.
A different study found that individuals between the ages of 18 and 70, reported a more acute sense of depression if they had hearing loss of greater than 25 dB. Individuals over the age of 70 with a self-diagnosed hearing loss didn’t show a major difference in depression rates in comparison to individuals who didn’t suffer from hearing loss. But that still means that a large part of the population is not getting the help they need to improve their lives. And people who participated in another study revealed that those participants who managed their hearing loss with hearing aids had a lower depression rate.
Mental Health is Impacted by Opposition to Wearing Hearing Aids
With documented outcomes like those, you would think that people would need to manage their hearing loss. However, two factors have stopped people from finding help. First, some people simply don’t think their hearing is that impaired. They assume that others are intentionally speaking quietly or mumbling. The second factor is that some people might not recognize that they have a hearing loss. It seems, to them, that people don’t like talking with them.
It’s imperative that anyone who has experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression, or the feeling that they are being excluded from interactions due to people speaking too quietly or mumbling too much, have their hearing tested. If there is hearing loss, that person should discuss which hearing aid is best for them. You could possibly feel a lot better if you go to see a hearing specialist.