The Impact of Untreated Hearing Loss
A study1 conducted in 2019 and 2020 polled website users who either had hearing loss themselves or were affected by a friend or family member’s hearing loss. In this study, nearly 90% of all participants said that they had social and personal problems because of hearing loss. However, despite this number, 75% of people with hearing loss said that they had concerns about buying a hearing aid.
Additionally, this study showed the significant impact that hearing loss can have on the individuals surrounding the affected person. In this study, 58% of people reported that their relationships had deteriorated since their family member or friend’s hearing had declined. One site user reported “It’s seriously becoming an issue. I’m leaving him because of it. I doubt he’ll hear me leave”.
Today, most hearing losses are completely treatable and modern hearing aids can make significant improvements to a person’s ability to hear. Hearing aids that are currently available to purchase in Australia are easy to use, automatic, easy to wear and can be completely invisible. So why do so many people continue to struggle by not hearing well? There is a lot of misconception about the quality of hearing that can be achieved using hearing aids.
There is a very real connection between our hearing and our mental health. Hearing loss can cause or worsen anxiety and other mental health symptoms. This is because the inability to hear well can cause feelings of worry and unease in different areas of our life, such as professional environments, social situations, and financial settings. Hearing loss can also cause cognitive strain due to the extra effort constantly needed to listen and function effectively with reduced hearing. During this, fear and frustration can set in as a person works hard to fill in the gaps in their hearing. It has been shown that hearing aids can cause people to experience a relaxation they never thought they could feel as they no longer have to expend excessive efforts to hear.
When you learn more about hearing loss, you can ease anxiety around your hearing loss and hearing devices. Research has shown how important hearing is to overall health. Life is too important and too short to not be living it. Taking steps towards managing your hearing loss can increase your mental wellbeing, quality of life and connection with others.
If you are ready to make your life a little bit easy and start changing your life for the better, schedule an appointment with our experienced audiology professionals today. At Hearing Aid Specialists SA, we’re dedicated to providing compassionate care and personalised solutions that empower you to live your best life.
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