Hearing loss can be one of the most trying health conditions that you can have. It prevents normal conversations from occurring and can complicate any relationship. This is especially difficult during the holiday season, when families gather together to celebrate and have fun. Unfortunately, people who do have hearing impairment are often neglected during this time because they either isolate themselves or merely show up to a gathering or do not engage with friends and family. Here we will take a closer look at how hearing loss can affect holiday gathers and what we can do about it.
Hearing Loss Negative Effects
There are many different ways that hearing loss can affect the holidays for people who are impaired. The first way is that it makes speaking to people more difficult. Not only is it harder to hear someone and take part in the conversation, but individuals with hearing loss are less likely to engage in conversation in order to avoid awkwardness. Together, these symptoms and the awareness of their effects by people who suffer from hearing loss can cause them to miss out on holiday fun.
There is a darker side to hearing loss in people during times of the year that are seen as being filled with social interactions. Not only does hearing loss make the discussions harder to carry, but avoiding them can lead to anxiety as well as depression. These two disorders can cause even more problems with the sufferer, but can also lead to other health issues that are much more serious. Depression and anxiety can affect many other aspects of a person’s life, from work to personal relationships.
Doing Something About It
For all of the reasons listed above, it is important that people who suffer from hearing loss and their family members take responsibility for allaying these symptoms and fears. First off, the people that suffer from hearing loss should be made to feel more welcome and comfortable in social situations. When you invite them to your home, make sure that you take time to introduce them and include them in all aspects of your conversation, even if you have to repeat yourself and talking slowly. You can also use these gatherings as a way to help them meet new friends and family members that they do not get to talk to normally.
Another way that people with hearing loss can be helped for the holidays is by taking a visit to the hearing specialist. A hearing specialist will have the ability to look at the different ways that the impaired person can benefit from surgery or other hearing options. A hearing specialist can work with the individual to see the benefits versus risk of surgery, which can normalize hearing in some individuals. However, for many people it is a better option to use their hearing specialist to get an optimized hearing aid device. Whether it is a typical hearing aid or cochlear implants, there are all different manners of ways that hearing specialists can make your holidays easier and brighter for years to come.