It’s something a lot of people cope with, but most don’t want to talk about – hearing loss and its impact on personal relationships. Both partners can feel frustrated by the misunderstandings that are created by hearing loss.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner isn’t it the perfect time to show your love and appreciation for your loved one? A great way to do this is to talk to your loved one about your hearing loss.
Having “the talk”
A person experiencing untreated hearing loss has a 2.4 times more likely chance of developing cognitive disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease according to some studies. A cascade effect that will ultimately affect the whole brain will be initiated when the part of your brain responsible for hearing becomes less active. Doctors call this brain atrophy. It’s the “use it or lose it” idea in action.
Depression rates among individuals who have hearing loss are nearly double that of a person who has healthy hearing. Research shows that as a person’s hearing loss worsens, they frequently become stressed and agitated. The person may start to isolate themselves from friends and family. They are also likely to stop involving themselves in the activities they once enjoyed as they fall deeper into a state of sadness.
This, in turn, can result in relationship stress among mother and son, daughter and father, close friends, spouses, and other people in this person’s life. It’s important to be patient and work together to find solutions to communication problems.
Mystery solved
Your loved one might not be ready to tell you they’re experiencing hearing loss. They might feel embarrassment and fear. Denial may have set in. Deciding when to have the conversation could take a little detective work.
Here are some external clues you will have to rely on because you can’t hear what others are hearing:
- Agitation or anxiety in social settings that you haven’t previously observed
- Complaining about ringing, humming, static, or other sounds that you can’t hear
- School, work, and hobbies are starting to become difficult
- Repeated misunderstandings
- Failing to hear alarms, doorbells, and other significant sounds
- Avoiding busy places
- Turning the volume way up on your TV
- Avoiding conversations
Plan on having a heart-to-heart talk with your loved one if you notice any of these symptoms.
What is the best way to talk about hearing loss?
Having this conversation might not be easy. A partner in denial may brush it off or become defensive. That’s why approaching hearing loss in an appropriate manner is so relevant. You might need to alter your language based on your unique relationship, but the strategies will be basically the same.
- Step 1: Tell them how much you love them unconditionally and how much you appreciate your relationship.
- Step 2: The state of their health is very important to you. You’ve seen the research. You know that untreated hearing loss can lead to a higher risk of dementia and depression. You don’t want your loved one to experience that.
- Step 3: Your own safety and health are also a concern. An overly loud television could damage your hearing. Also, your relationship can be affected, as studies have revealed that overly loud noise can cause anxiety. If you have a burglar in your house or you’ve taken a fall, your partner may not hear you calling for help. People relate to others through emotion. If you can paint an emotional picture of the what-ifs, it’s more impactful than just listing facts.
- Step 4: Decide together to make an appointment to get a hearing test. Do it right away after making the decision. Don’t hold off.
- Step 5: There may be some objections so be ready. You could encounter these oppositions at any time in the process. This is a person you know well. What kind of doubts will they have? Money? Time? Possibly they don’t see that it’s a problem. Do they believe they can use homemade remedies? (You recognize “natural hearing loss cures” don’t actually work and could do more harm than good.)
Have your responses prepared beforehand. You may even practice them in the mirror. These answers need to address your loved one’s Worries but they don’t have to match those listed above word-for-word
Relationship growth
Discussing hearing loss isn’t easy if your partner isn’t willing to discuss it. Openly talking about the effect of hearing loss on your relationship can help to establish a plan to address any communication issues and make sure that both partners are heard and understood. In this way, your relationship will get stronger and your loved one will take steps to live a longer, healthier life. Growing together – isn’t that what love is all about?
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References
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing#
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-common-problem-older-adults
