Hearing Aids can help reduce the negative effects of the common condition of hearing loss. But a higher incident of depression and feelings of solitude occurs when hearing loss goes untreated and undiscovered.
And it can quickly become a vicious circle where isolation and depression from hearing loss cause a breakdown in personal and work relationship causing even worse depression and solitude. Treating hearing loss is the key to ending this unnecessary cycle.
Hearing Loss Has Been Connected to Depression by Countless Studies
Researchers have discovered in numerous studies that neglected hearing loss is connected to the development of depressive symptoms – and this isn’t a new phenomenon. One study of people with untreated hearing loss discovered that adults 50 years or older were more likely to document symptoms of depression, along with signs of anxiety and paranoia. They were also more likely to refrain from social experiences. Many reported that they felt as if people were getting angry at them for no reason. However, relationships were enhanced for those who got hearing aids, who noted that friends, family, and co-workers all recognized the difference.
Another study found that individuals between the ages of 18 and 70, revealed a more acute feeling of depression if they had hearing loss of more than 25 decibels. The only group that didn’t record a higher incidence 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 help they require to improve their lives. And people who took part in a different study revealed that those participants who managed their hearing loss using hearing aids had a lower rate of depression.
Mental Health is Affected by Resistance to Using Hearing Aids
With documented results like those, you would imagine that people would want to treat their hearing loss. However, two factors have prevented people from seeking help. Some people believe that their hearing is working just fine when it actually isn’t. They have themselves convinced that others are mumbling or even that they are talking quietly on purpose. Also, it’s quite common for people to be clueless about their hearing problem. To them, it seems like others don’t want to talk to them.
If you are someone who frequently thinks people are talking quietly or mumbling and it’s causing you to feel anxiety or even depression, it’s time for a hearing exam. If your hearing specialist detects hearing problems, hearing aid solutions should be talked about. Seeing a good hearing specialist may be all that is needed to feel a whole lot better.