This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and is focused on the theme of anxiety. Anxiety is a normal emotion that we all feel from time to time, but sometimes it can get out of control and result in a mental health problem.
We know there are lots of things can lead to feelings of anxiety but did you know that hearing loss is one of them? Research shows that people with hearing loss have a much higher chance of experiencing depression and anxiety as they may grieve the hearing they once had, or wrestle with feelings of isolation.
Whilst hearing loss is a normal part of aging, living with a hearing loss can come with a variety of emotional struggles. Maybe you can no longer hear music in the same way as before, or your feeling embarrassed or frustrated that you keep having to ask people to repeat themselves. Or perhaps you’re feeling as though you’re missing out on important conversations on the phone or during your doctors appointments. You may even feel yourself withdrawing from social situations due to feelings of embarrassment.
Early detection of hearing loss is vitally important as the sooner you know the extent of the damage, the sooner you can take actions to slow down the deterioration and in turn, reduce the risks we know are so heavily linked to hearing loss.
Help is always available, do not dismiss the feelings of isolation or frustration around not hearing clearly and schedule in an appointment with your GP or audiologist to find out about what help is available.
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