Hearing loss is a common condition that can be alleviated simply with the use of hearing aids and assistive listening devices. However, hearing loss often goes undiagnosed and unaddressed. This can result in greater depression rates and feelings of separation in those who have hearing loss.
It can also cause a breakdown in personal and professional relationships, which itself contributes to more feelings of depression and solitude. The solution to ending that downward spiral is treating your hearing loss.
Hearing loss and its link to depression
It’s true that untreated hearing loss is connected to experiencing depressive symptoms – and this isn’t a new trend. Adults older than 50 with neglected hearing loss frequently report feelings of depression and anxiety, according to one study. They were also more likely to refrain from social activities. A lot of them felt like people were getting mad at them and they didn’t know why. But when those individuals got hearing aids, they reported improvements in their social condition, and others in their life also noticed the difference.
Another study revealed that people between ages 18 and 70, reported a greater sense of depression if they had hearing loss of more than 25 Decibels. Individuals over the age of 70 with self-reported hearing loss didn’t show a major difference in depression rates compared to people without hearing loss. But that still means that a significant part of the population is not getting the help they need to improve their lives.
Mental health can be impacted by refusal to use hearing aids or to lack of awareness
With reported results like these, it seems like a no-brainer that you would want to treat your hearing loss. Maybe you think your hearing is okay. You might think people aren’t speaking clearly.
You might just think it’s too costly.
It’s imperative that anyone who has dealt with symptoms of depression or anxiety, or the feeling that they are being left out of interactions because people appear to be talking really quietly or mumbling a lot, get their hearing assessed. If there is hearing loss, we can talk over your options. It could help you feel a lot better.