Effects Of Hearing Loss

Writen by Val Bedard

Too often, people with hearing loss will withdraw from social situations. In the past I have said things like: "why bother, I'll just stay home"; "why spend the money to go, I miss too much"; "No, I don't want to play cards, I can't keep up". There have been situations when I was unable to follow all of the conversation and felt left out. I would miss something and everyone around me would be laughing. It didn't feel good. Now when I am in a group situation, I will focus on the key speaker of the group and read his/her lips and almost forget everyone else.

When we withdraw from activities with our friends and family, it's easy to get depressed and feel sorry for ourselves. We get run down, our immune system is weaker, which will perpetuate the feeling: "life is hard and I'll just stay home".

I encourage you to continue learning and taking in all life has to offer. I encourage you to check into assistive listening devices and consider getting or giving one as a Christmas present or birthday gift. Statistics show that men have a higher incidence of hearing loss (not surprising given that many occupations are around noisy environments). Men sometimes have a harder time to accept that they have a hearing loss. Depression is often followed by an identity crisis "I have now aged, I am not the same young fellow that could take on the world to protect and provide for my family". To complicate the roles further, spouses are often engaged in the "interpreter", repeating what was missed. The man is now dependant on his wife to "hear for him" and he will sometimes resent that dependency.

I encourage every one who suspects that they have a hearing loss to recognize that it is just another avenue that your life is taking, one phase has ended - another begins. Here is an opportunity to learn about yourself and utilize the resources that you have within. Take up a new hobby, memorize a poem, use that brain which has served you well all through your life. Like they say "if you don't use it, you'll lose it!"

Val Bedard has a profound hearing loss since birth. She owns her own business Hear Well Services Ltd. (http://www.hearwell.ca), sells assistive listening devices for the hearing impaired, can be reached via email at info@hearwell.ca or by telephone at 1-888-549-2092. She is also Past President of the B.C. Chapter of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association and lives with her husband of 24+ years along her dog Katie and cat Neelix.