Hearing Loss and Depression Linked
There is a good deal more to living with hearing loss than simply asking your family to repeat things in conversations; or straining to understand the person on the other end of the phone. If you are currently living with an untreated hearing loss, you are putting yourself at risk for an alarming number of serious health effects. You are more likely to suffer from falls and become disoriented from not being able to locate sounds, risking your safety both at home and in public. You are also more likely to develop dementia at a young age. A link that may surprise you, however, is the link between your hearing loss and depression.
Recent Study makes a clear link between depression and hearing loss.
A recent study conducted by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders found that over 11% of people with hearing loss were battling depression. This is a much higher rate than the 5% of the general population who struggle with depression. James Firman, president of the National Council on aging said “ It is not surprising to me that they would be more likely to be depressed. People with hearing loss, especially those who don’t use hearing aids, find it more difficult to communicate with other people, whether in family situations, social gatherings or at work.”
15 million Americans over the age of 18 find themselves affected by depression. Many of these are tackling depression without help. The average age of someone suffering from depression is only 32 years old. This is a disease that affects every single aspect of your life. Depression often leads to isolation, feelings of loneliness, and difficulty communicating with others. Depression often leaves its victims feeling a lack of energy and motivation. They end up suffering from irritability and frustration.
Social Isolation
As is the case with most things, several factors are involved in the link between depression and hearing loss. The clearest link, however, is that those with an untreated hearing loss often face social isolation. Those living with untreated hearing loss tend to withdraw from social situations they are unfamiliar with. Rather than deal with family and friends in places that will be difficult for them to communicate, they stay home.
When it becomes difficult to hear, especially in a crowded environment with lots of background noise, people become avoidant of these social environments. No one wants to be the person constantly asking people to repeat what was said. At the same time, it can be embarrassing to miss out on the punchline to every story. Those suffering from hearing loss would often rather stay at home, avoiding situations altogether, leaving them feeling socially isolated. Poor communication leads to an unhealthy social life. Often leaving those that are hard of hearing at a much higher risk of developing issues with loneliness, helplessness, and depression.
Don’t let your hearing loss cause you to suffer from social isolation and depression. Let us get you connected to better hearing today. Let one of our professionals at Hearing Connect help get you on the road to better hearing today.
