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Emotional Effects Of Untreated Hearing Loss in Adults

Oct 31, 2013

Hearing loss affects more than one in three American adults over age 60. But the cost of untreated hearing loss is much more than a missed conversation - it's affects people so much more deeply. Read on to find out what untreated hearing loss could be costing you.

While hearing loss is a common phenomenon amongst adults in the United States, most people wait an average of 5-15 years before getting any help for their hearing loss. And that lost time is extremely valuable. The sooner a hearing impairment is corrected with hearing aids, the easier it is for the brain to use its process sound in a more natural way.

Challenges With Hearing Loss

Adults who suffer from hearing loss face social challenges, such as:

• Communication. Conversations at work and home are more difficult for adults with hearing loss, and these people are often left out of – or remove themselves from - conversations all together. 
• Isolation. Because of the difficulty they have participating in conversations, adults with hearing loss will often distance themselves from family, friends and co-workers. 
• Income. Untreated hearing loss can affect productivity, performance and future success in your career. This can result in lost income, which can lead to feelings of shame or embarrassment, which then perpetuates the cycle of diminished communication and social isolation.
• Family Relationships. When adults feel like they are not being heard, it can lead to them feeling anxious and depressed. And for the family members of people with hearing loss, they are left feeling frustrated, worried and sad.

Emotional Effects Of Hearing Loss
Untreated hearing loss in adults can lead to emotional outbursts stemming from anger and frustration at not understanding what is being said around you, and as a result, not feeling understood. Adults may feel sadness as their hearing diminishes, and struggling to keep up with conversations when you can’t hear can leave you feeling tired and depressed.

Hearing Aids Do Help
The good news is that many of these issues go away once the hearing impairment is treated effectively. Family relationships improve, feelings of anxiety and depression diminish, and people are more social and active, reducing feelings of isolation. Our experienced audiologists can help you get the right hearing aid for you, to help you get back into the conversation and back into your life.

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