Anxiety, Depression and Hearing Loss

Many people think of hearing loss as being a purely physical experience, but in actual fact, people who experience hearing loss can also experience poor mental health related to their condition. Anxiety and depression are particularly common in people who are experiencing hearing loss for the first time, but anyone who is experiencing hearing loss can be more susceptible to various mental health conditions.

Depression and Hearing Loss 

Depression is a mental health issue whereby the experiencer may appear withdrawn, sad, anxious and unable to function normally. It has been shown time and time again to have strong links with hearing loss. Around nine-million people in the U.S. over the age of 65 experience some degree of hearing loss. This group of people are far more likely to experience depression than their peers.

Not only that, but people in this demographic who do not use hearing aids to help with their hearing loss are even more likely to experience periods of depression. This is not surprising because these people are unlikely to have sought help from an audiologist, which means they will be dealing with their hearing loss alone.

When people are experiencing hearing loss, they tend to be scared about the future, angry about their circumstances and frustrated at not being able to hear simple things like conversations or the TV as well as they once did. This is likely to lead to higher instances of loneliness, social isolation which are two major factors in depression.

And it is not just older people with hearing loss who experience this either, younger people who do not seek help with their hearing loss are just as likely to feel lonely, scared and depressed too.

That’s why anyone who is experiencing hearing loss should take steps to meet with an audiologist and have a hearing aid fitted that will hopefully enable them to join in with their loved ones more and see that hearing loss does not have to prevent them from doing the things they love the most.

Anxiety and Hearing Loss

Anxiety is basically a heightened sense of alert that is more persistent than is normal. Anxiety is one of the most common health issues in the United States with over 40 million adults formally diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety and hearing loss are strongly linked and it is perhaps not surprising that would be the case. After all, losing your heating can be a shock. It can make you feel like your future is more uncertain, which can cause no small amount of worry.

Many people, when they are experiencing hearing loss will, for example, worry that they might not be able to hear what their boss is instructing them to do at work, which will spiral into worries about losing their job, getting into mountains of debt, their spouse leaving them and their life being ruined. This is, of course, catastrophizing of the highest order, but it can be a real concern for people who are experiencing hearing loss for the first time and don’t know what to do about it.

Of course, once they visit an audiologist, have everything explained to them and get fitted with hearing aids, many of those anxieties melt away, but it can be very scary at first.

We Can Help

If you are experiencing anxiety and depression due to hearing loss, you need to know that you can recover and start to feel better again. The first step is to visit one of our experienced audiologists who will listen to your concerns and carry out a thorough hearing test. Once that is done, we can look at your options in terms of finding a solution that you are happy with that will help you navigate the world more effectively with hearing loss.

The prospect of being told you have hearing loss is scary we know but hiding your head in the sand is likely to make all of your symptoms, anxiety, depression and hearing loss – in most cases, a hearing aid will really help you to get things back on track.

Get in touch with an expert audiologist here at Grusecki Audiology & Hearing Aid Service and we can help you to hear more clearly and, hopefully, enjoy life more. We know that hearing loss can be scary, but there are solutions out there to help you live fully with hearing loss. So, give us a call at 623-583-1737 today. We’re here when you’re ready.