Hearing Aids can help decrease the negative effects of the prevalent condition of hearing loss. But a greater incident of depression and feelings of isolation occurs when hearing loss goes untreated and undiscovered.
It can also result in a breakdown in work and personal relationships, which itself contributes to more feelings of depression and isolation. This is a difficulty that doesn’t have to take place, and managing your hearing loss is the best way to end the downward spiral.
Hearing Loss Has Been Linked to Depression by Countless Studies
Researchers have found in several studies that untreated hearing loss is linked to the development of depressive symptoms – and this isn’t a new phenomenon. One study of individuals who suffer from neglected hearing loss discovered that adults 50 years or older were more likely to report symptoms of depression, along with signs of anxiety and paranoia. And it was also more likely that those people would withdraw from social involvement. Many couldn’t comprehend why it seemed like people were getting mad at them. However, those who got hearing aids noted improvements in their relationships, and the people in their lives – friends, co-workers, and family – also saw improvements.
A different study discovered that people between the ages of 18 and 70, revealed a more acute feeling of depression if they had hearing loss of more than 25 dB. The only group that didn’t record an increased occurrence of depression even with hearing loss was people over the age of 70. But that still indicates that a large part of the population is not getting the assistance they require to better their lives. And individuals who took part in another study reported that those people who managed their hearing loss with hearing aids had a lower depression rate.
Mental Health is Impacted by Opposition to Using Hearing Aids
With reported benefits like those, you would imagine that people would want to manage their hearing loss. But people don’t find help for two principal reasons. First, some people simply don’t recognize that their hearing is that bad. They think that people are purposely talking quietly or mumbling. Also, it’s relatively common for people to be clueless about their hearing impairment. To them, it seems as if others don’t want to talk to them.
It’s imperative that anybody who has experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression, or the sense that they are being left out of interactions due to people talking too quietly or mumbling too much, have their hearing examined. If your hearing specialist discovers hearing problems, hearing aid options should be talked about. You could possibly feel much better if you consult a hearing specialist.