The term ‘Hearing loss’ is a bit of a misnomer. In the initial stages, the condition doesn’t stop you from hearing other people, but it can severely hinder your ability to understand those around you.
People with hearing loss may have difficulty understanding speech in a noisy environment or when there is background noise (such as traffic). They may also have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds (like women’s voices) or low-pitched sounds (like men’s voices).
In addition, people with mild to moderate hearing loss may have trouble understanding speech when delivered at a fast pace or when it contains unfamiliar words. They may also have trouble understanding complex sentences and long words with double consonants.
People with severe hearing loss often can’t understand anything — even if you’re speaking directly into their ear — and must rely on reading lips or an interpreter for communication.
The effects of hearing loss
Many people become socially isolated, and they avoid social situations and encounters with strangers because of their anxiety. The humiliation of not being able to understand half of what your friends say makes it difficult to even meet up with them.
An untreated hearing loss can seriously impact your relationships with loved ones, including family members and spouses. Long-term effects are also possible. Depression, dementia onset earlier, and faster cognitive decline have been linked to hearing loss.
Communication mishaps
Communication is hampered as a result of hearing loss.When you’re living with someone who can’t hear well, even the simplest tasks can become difficult. A lack of communication is the most severe problem. If you can’t hear clearly, even simple tasks can be a challenge for everyone.
Requests for repetition, interruptions, and confusion from the deaf person are common. They frequently make grammatical and syntactic errors, leading to illogical responses. People living with Hearing loss are more likely to blame others and deny they have a problem.
When someone is repeatedly yelled at or misunderstood, they grow tired of it. A typical family argument involves something as simple as how loud the TV is or what a friend said while talking on the phone. There is little room for bonding, sharing experiences, or expressing affection when communication is impaired.
Relationships suffer when one or both partners suffer from hearing loss.
For people with hearing loss, social situations become increasingly difficult because of all the background noise and the many conversations around the table. Soon, the hearing partner may have to go out with friends by themselves because their spouse prefers to stay home rather than admit that they cannot understand what is going on.
According to a recent study cited in the New York Times, an increasing number of couples are divorcing because of hearing loss. In relationships where one partner has untreated hearing loss, breakup and divorce rates can be up to four times higher than in marriages with normal hearing! Your relationship needs your help now more than ever.
Keep your relationships safe.
If you or a loved one is dealing with hearing loss, you may be noticing this pattern in your relationship. If this sounds too familiar, don’t worry; there is an easy fix. Get a hearing test and a hearing aid fitting today! Your relationship will suffer if you allow your hearing loss to dictate how you communicate with your spouse, how you interact with your friends, or where you can eat.
Hearing aids and restoring your hearing will allow you to communicate the way you want to, have meaningful conversations that don’t turn into arguments, visit friends without falling through the cracks, and enjoy interacting with your family and grandkids, all of which will help save your marriage…
If you or a loved one suffers from hearing loss, don’t put it off any longer. Contact us right away if you’d like to set up an appointment for a hearing evaluation! If a hearing loss is found, we’ll talk about your options for hearing aids so you can get back in touch with the people who matter most to you.