Why are People Sometimes Ashamed of Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss is still not something that is widely talked about. You don’t hear quite a significant amount of people discussing hearing health or anything to do with this part of the body. But why? Well, one of the reasons is because they are embarrassed about not being able to hear as well as others. Why? We’re going to explore that in this article, so if you want to find out more, keep reading down below.

Social stigma

Nobody is going to actively admit that they are part of the problem here, but there is a certain stigma that is attached to those who have issues with their hearing. It might even be something subtle that you don’t realize would contribute to the bigger picture. For example, repeating something a number of times because the other person can’t hear what you’re saying properly can become frustrating after two or three attempts, so much so that some people give up altogether. One of the things that can happen is that when someone without any hearing loss is speaking to someone who is experiencing this, they can become extremely condescending and patronizing. It’s not always done on purpose, but treating the person with hearing loss as though they are unintelligent is a common issue. This then leads to the person experiencing hearing loss to feel ashamed or embarrassed because there has been a label forced upon them that makes them less. Even though this is the case, there are still some things that can be done to break the stigma. When talking to someone with hearing loss, take your time, and let them take theirs. You want to understand them, and they want to effectively communicate with you, but it’s about more than your words. Remember that your body says a lot of things that words never will, so try to make allowances where necessary without treating them as if they can’t function on the same level mentally as everyone else.

Makes them different

Another reason that people are ashamed of hearing loss is because it is something else that makes them different. Being different isn’t considered to be a good thing in most circles, and anyone that has a quality that makes them so risks being singled out. Hearing loss is just one of the things that is slightly different from the norm, but it is a medical condition. Just like all other medical conditions, there are tests to determine if there is an issue, then there is the diagnosis and the next steps to see what needs to be done. People are ashamed of the things that make them different. You might think that nobody is ashamed to wear glasses these days because it’s so common, but you would be wrong. The same is true of hearing aids. Even with how small hearing aids can be, there are still some visible styles, making it obvious others that your hearing needs that little bit of extra help, which can be embarrassing because it makes people feel like they stand out.

Living with hearing loss

Living with hearing loss can be tough, especially if you relied quite heavily on it or loved things like music. It’s important that you have a list of ways to help you cope with things that are starting to feel as though they’re getting out of control. There is nothing shameful about experiencing hearing loss, but with the stigma still surrounding it like a thick blanket, it’s not hard to see why people don’t feel entirely comfortable with others knowing about their hearing loss. You need all the information you could possibly get about what your hearing loss is, and then the things you can do to help. While there is no cure for hearing loss and most of it is not reversible, there are still things that can be done to make the symptoms slightly better. This might mean that you speak to a hearing instrument specialist and get some hearing aids or take different step, depending on what suits you. If hearing aids are something that you need, remember that there are many different types, including ones that go all the way into your ear canal so they are essentially invisible if this is something that would bother you. If you are interested in learning more about hearing loss, then get in touch with Armand’s Hearing Center. Contact us today at Bradenton: (941) 357-2054 and Sun City: (813) 990-0335.