Social Isolation and Hearing Loss: Exploring the Link

Hearing loss can have a huge impact on your mental and physical health. It can also greatly affect your quality of life and well-being. For a lot of years, hearing loss has been linked to social isolation as well as loneliness, but not many people know why. If you want to delve deeper and learn about this theory, then take a look below.

Why Hearing Loss Can Lead to Social Isolation

If you have hearing loss, whether it is severe or mild, joining in with conversations can be a bit of a challenge. Humans often find themselves in social situations, surrounded by people. It may be that you visit family and friends or that you dine out. You may go to work meetings or attend parties. If you have hearing loss, then situations like this become less enjoyable. They can also make it, so you aren’t able to participate in the same way you once did. The link between social isolation and hearing loss makes sense when you look at things like this. A lot of people like to stay within their comfort zone, and this usually means avoiding situations that make you feel uncomfortable.

If you are in a situation where communication is a struggle, then this can impose a lot of stress, fear and anxiety. It can also cause frustration. When you begin to interact with others, it can be easier just to be alone. Declining invitations, or even making excuses as to why you cannot attend social gatherings can become easy, as avoidance becomes a coping mechanism. In some instances, you might not even be aware that you are doing it.

Easing Loneliness with Hearing Loss

We now have a greater level of understanding, as to how hearing loss increases loneliness. For this reason, it’s important to take steps to stop it from impacting your life. It makes sense to first focus on the root of the issue, which is treating hearing loss. If you do not have your hearing loss treated, then your symptoms may worsen and this can lead to you experiencing more than you need to. Hearing aids are the best and most viable solution when it comes to treating hearing loss and they can help to alleviate a lot of symptoms.

If you have friends or family who have hearing loss and you worry that they may be shutting themselves away, then you need to encourage them to visit an audiologist. They can then carry out a hearing test so that the severity of the hearing loss can be identified. There isn’t much conclusive evidence to show that hearing aids can put an end to social isolation, but at the same time, improving your ability to hear can have a direct impact on your life.

The theory is that you, or the person in question, may be less likely to avoid social situations if a greater level of comfort can be achieved. Hearing aids can be adjusted so you can cater them to specific situations too, which gives more control over how certain sounds or frequencies are picked up.

How to Help Someone with Hearing Loss

There are several ways that you can help to ease some of the loneliness that your loved ones may be experiencing. You can also make them feel much more comfortable in social situations. One thing you can do is invite them to social gatherings or make more of a conscious effort to visit them. Be considerate when engaging in conversation, if you are speaking to someone hard of hearing. Always talk face-to-face, and do not shout louder. Be mindful and make an effort to speak slowly. If you can, be patient and rephrase the message if required. If you can do this, then you can give plenty of support to the person in question.

If you or someone you know is experiencing hearing loss, then visiting an audiologist is one of the best things you can do. They can find out how severe your hearing loss is, and they can give you a hearing aid that is programmed to fit your exact needs and requirements. Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to hearing aids and that they always need to be catered to the individual. If you want to find out more then make sure you call Advanced Hearing of Brighton at 810-355-2245. Our audiologists can then give you the help and support you are looking for,