Do you have an older adult in your life that suffers from hearing loss? Have you noticed they tend to avoid social interactions more and more? Do they seem withdrawn, lonely and depressed?
It’s not a giant leap of logic that there’s a connection between depression and hearing loss. When your loved one struggles to hear, communication is challenging, and social isolation and depression can quickly follow.
What Do The Statistics Say
Studies over the past couple of decades have sought to find the connections between hearing loss and depression. The research has found a genuine relationship between the two conditions, but the presumed numbers of those with hearing loss and depression fluctuate.
A 5-year study beginning in the early 2000s discovered that a reported 11.4 percent of those with hearing impairment also suffered from a moderate/severe case of depression. A more significant percentage (19.1 percent) of similar patients dealt with more mild depression. Overall that’s 35 percent of those reporting a hearing impairment who are also dealing with some levels of depression.
A separate study in 2009 found that as the hearing was progressively lost, depression was increased accordingly. The study looked at signal-to-noise ratios for adults below 70 years of age.
And a 2019 study linked hearing loss and depression for older adults, noting that roughly one in five showed signs of clinical depression.
The Relationship Between Hearing Impairment And Mental Health
The relationship between hearing impairment and mental health is observable, testable, and extensive. The fluidity of conversation can reveal quite a bit since the subject will seemingly shift on a dime. This is due to a lost link in the communication, and the hard of hearing person feels shut out.
People who deal with this can become disoriented or even paranoid when left behind during conversations. It’s also embarrassing when they can’t keep up. This doesn’t just happen with those with the most extensive hearing loss, either. All it takes is enough of a disconnect to stir up these horrible introspective feelings, and ultimately depression.
Psychosocial Facets Of Hearing Impairment
As with any impairment, a loss of hearing can affect a person across all avenues of their life. Relationships and careers can be negatively affected, resulting in catastrophic life experiences. People who have suffered such milestones will find themselves more anxious. They will fear missing vital parts of conversations in person, on the phone, or even failing to hear an alarm. This all adds up to an increased risk of depression.
While the social aspects of hearing loss can bring on depression, physiological effects can also occur. Memory can be affected since our neural pathways will adjust to the news signals or lack of signals the brain is receiving. These changes can happen in the parts of the brain where sound is processed and in the parts that aid in controlling depressive symptoms. Your brain can become rewired because of hearing loss.
Psychological Symptoms Of Hearing Impairment
We all know that it is pretty common to have a drop-off in our hearing as we age. We may struggle to hear conversations leaving us disoriented and potentially depressed. Some symptoms of depression can be linked to loss of hearing.
With the two being linked together, it’s vitally important for older adults to check their hearing regularly. Signs that it’s time to have your hearing checked are:
- Asking people to repeat what they’ve said.
- Problems listening to conversations in loud locations.
- Issues recognizing higher-pitched sounds, like children’s voices.
- Complaining about others mumbling.
- Struggling to pay attention when being spoken to from another room or behind their back.
- Inability to easily contribute socially or professionally.
Sleep variations, anger, irritability
Depression can show up in a variety of ways. You may see changes in sleep patterns, increased anger and irritability, and issues completing work.
This could be related to hearing loss, but that’s not always the case. Hearing loss may contribute to depression even if it’s not the catalyst. Treating hearing loss can sometimes reverse depression, so it’s crucial to weigh all the factors involved to increase mental wellness.
Hearing Loss Treatments
The route taken for treating hearing loss depends on the severity and type. Here are the go-to options:
Hearing aids
Standard treatment for varying degrees of hearing loss is hearing aids. Just being able to hear a little better can go a long way. Most hearing aids these days give you the control for comfortably adjusting levels to suit your particular volume needs.
Newer hearing aids provide a wide array of flexibility for users. The ability to connect your hearing aid with a smartphone creates many options. From monitoring battery life to listening to music or audiobooks, a Bluetooth link brings today’s technology to those who need it most.
Hearing aids go well beyond personal entertainment, though. The primary goal is to improve communication through fully understanding conversation and improving the mental quality of life for the user.
For those whose hearing loss is more serious, bone-anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants are used. Each offers similar communication-boosting technology. Once fitted for hearing aids, many patients report that they should have gotten them sooner.
Auditory training
Auditory training is anything that helps your loved one with hearing loss minimize the impacts of their hearing loss and help them communicate more effectively. A hearing professional helps set realistic goals for improving their hearing and teaching better listening skills.
Auditory training can make a significant difference in someone’s life. A study from Australia noted reduced symptoms of depression when participants wore hearing aids and had six months of auditory training.
Assistive listening devices
Assistive listening devices (ALDs) can help someone watch TV or go to the theater. These devices are usually a headset style that works seamlessly with popular Bluetooth technology. They can also connect wirelessly through FM, induction loop, or infrared.
Therapy
Counseling or psychotherapy can also be beneficial when treating depression. It is effective in dealing with both short and long-term bouts of depression. Not all therapies are alike, which is good since not all depression is alike. Patients can choose from:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Interpersonal therapy
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy
- Problem-solving therapy
Whatever type of therapy proves best, the key is starting the treatments as soon as possible.
Hearing loss can take a psychological toll on people, and they might not even realize it. It’s possible to find a counselor who has experience working with hearing loss patients. Their experiences and guidance can help patients reclaim a foothold on their mental health.
Don’t Delay
If you or someone you love is dealing with sudden or gradual hearing loss and showing signs of depression as they deal with it, encourage them to seek out the help they need. It may only take some hearing restorative devices to give them back their confidence and stave off the debilitating weight of depression. Therapy may help better. It depends on the individual.
Contact us here at Hearing Associates of Las Vegas if you don’t know where to start. We even offer virtual care if transportation or social distancing is an issue. Virtual care allows people with hearing loss to receive care remotely. A patient can now use a phone or computer to connect with their hearing care professional, making various services available to the patient from the comfort of their home.
Don’t suffer another day with depression because of hearing loss. Contact us today to see how we can help.
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