The majority of people don’t want to talk about the impact hearing loss has on relationships, even though it’s a problem many people cope with. Both partners can feel frustrated by the misunderstandings that are caused by hearing loss.
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner isn’t it the perfect time to express your love and appreciation for your loved one? A great way to do this is to have a discussion about your hearing loss.
Having “the talk”
Studies have revealed that a person with neglected hearing loss is 2.4 times more likely to develop dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. A cascade effect that will inevitably affect the whole brain will be initiated when the region of your brain in charge of hearing becomes less active. Doctors refer to this as brain atrophy. You remember how the old saying goes, “use it or lose it”.
Depression cases are almost half in individuals who have healthy hearing compared to people who have hearing loss. Research shows that as a person’s hearing loss progresses, they often become stressed and agitated. This can lead to the person being self isolated from friends and family. As they fall deeper into depression, people with hearing loss are likely to avoid participating in the activities they once enjoyed.
Relationships between family, friends, and others then become tense. It’s important to be patient and work together to determine solutions to communication difficulties.
Mystery solved
Your loved one may not be ready to let you know they’re experiencing hearing loss. They might be afraid or ashamed. Denial may have set in. You may need to do a bit of detective work to determine when it’s time to have the talk.
Here are a few outward clues you will have to rely on because you can’t hear what other people are hearing:
- Frequent misunderstandings
- School, work, and hobbies are starting to become difficult
- Avoiding conversations
- Not hearing vital sounds, like the doorbell, dryer buzzer, or someone calling their name
- Complaining about buzzing, humming, static, or other sounds that you can’t hear
- Watching television with the volume extremely high
- Avoiding busy places
- Agitation or anxiety in social settings that you haven’t previously observed
Plan on having a heart-to-heart talk with your loved one if you detect any of these symptoms.
How to discuss hearing loss
This talk might not be an easy one to have. A loved one could become defensive and brush it off if they’re in denial. That’s why approaching hearing loss in the right way is so important. You may need to alter your language based on your unique relationship, but the steps will be more or less the same.
- Step 1: Inform them how much you love them without condition and how much you appreciate your relationship.
- Step 2: The state of their health is very important to you. You’ve read the studies. You know that a higher risk of depression and dementia comes along with untreated hearing loss. You don’t want that for your loved one.
- Step 3: You’re also worried about your own health and safety. An excessively loud television could damage your hearing. Additionally, studies show that elevated noise can create anxiety, which might affect your relationship. Your loved one might not hear you calling for help if you’ve fallen or someone’s broken into the house. Emotion is a powerful way to connect with others. Simply listing facts won’t be as impactful as painting an emotional picture.
- Step 4: Agree together to schedule an appointment to get a hearing exam. After you make the decision schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Don’t hold off.
- Step 5: Be ready for objections. You could encounter these objections at any time in the process. This is a person you know well. What will their objections be? Will it be lack of time, or money? Perhaps they don’t detect that it’s an issue. They may feel that homemade remedies will be just fine. (You’re aware that “natural hearing loss cures” don’t really work and could cause more harm than good.)
Be prepared with your answers. Even a little practice can’t hurt. These answers need to address your loved one’s Worries but they don’t need to match those listed above word-for-word
Relationship growth
Discussing hearing loss isn’t easy if your partner isn’t willing to talk about it. Openly discussing the impact of hearing loss on your relationship can help to solidify a plan to deal with any communication issues and ensure that both partners are heard and understood. By having this discussion, you’ll grow closer and get your loved one the help they need to live a longer, healthier, more fulfilling life. And relationships are, after all, about growing together.
References
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing#
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-common-problem-older-adults
