Even now you’re missing calls. Often times, it’s that you can’t hear the phone ring. On other occasions, you simply don’t want to deal with the annoyance of having a conversation with a garbled voice you can barely understand.
But you’re staying away from more than simply phone calls. Last week you skipped a round of golf with friends. More and more often, this type of thing has been happening. You can’t help but feel a little… isolated.
Your hearing loss is, of course, the real cause. You haven’t really determined how to incorporate your diminishing ability to hear into your everyday life, and it’s triggering something that’s all too widespread: social isolation. Trading solitude for friendship might take a little bit of work. But if you want to do it, here are a few things you can do.
Acknowledging Your Hearing Loss is Step Number One
In a good number of cases, social isolation first manifests when you aren’t quite sure what the root cause is. So, recognizing your hearing loss is a big first step. Scheduling an appointment to get fitted for hearing aids and keeping them properly maintained are also strong first steps.
Informing people in your life that you have hearing loss is another step towards recognition. In many ways, hearing loss is a type of invisible affliction. There’s no particular way to “look” like you have hearing loss.
So when people look at you it’s not likely they will notice that you have hearing loss. To your friends and co-workers, your turn towards isolation could seem to be anti-social. Talking about your hearing loss can help those around you understand what you’re going through and place your reactions in a different context.
You Shouldn’t Keep Your Hearing Loss Secret
An important first step is being honest with yourself and others regarding your hearing loss. Making certain your hearing remains consistent by getting regular hearing assessments is also significant. And it might help curb some of the initial isolationist inclinations you may feel. But there are a few more steps you can take to fight isolation.
Make Your Hearing Aids Visible
Most people think that a smaller less visible hearing aid is a more ideal option. But it might be that making your hearing aid pop a little more could help you communicate your hearing impairment more deliberately to others. Some individuals even customize their hearing aids with custom designes. You will persuade people to be more considerate when talking with you by making it more apparent that you have hearing loss.
Get Professional Treatment
If you aren’t properly treating your hearing ailment it will be quite a bit harder to cope with your tinnitus or hearing loss. Treatment could be very different depending on the person. But wearing or properly calibrating hearing aids is often a common factor. And even something that basic can make a huge difference in your everyday life.
Let People Know How They Can Help You
It’s never fun to get yelled at. But there are some individuals who believe that’s the preferred way to communicate with someone who has hearing impairment. So letting people know how to best communicate with you is essential. Perhaps texting to make plans would be better than calling. If everyone can get on the same page, you’re less likely to feel like you need to isolate yourself.
Put Yourself in Social Situations
It’s easy to avoid everybody in the age of the internet. That’s the reason why purposely placing people in your path can help you avoid isolation. Instead of ordering groceries from Amazon, shop at your local grocery store. Gather for a weekly game of cards. Make those activities a part of your calendar in a deliberate and scheduled way. There are so many easy ways to run into people like taking a walk around your neighborhood. In addition to helping you feel less isolated, this will also help you to identify words precisely and continue to process sound cues.
Solitude Can Be Dangerous
Your doing more than limiting your social life by isolating yourself because of neglected hearing loss. Isolation of this sort has been connected to mental decline, depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
Being realistic about your hearing problem is the number one way to keep yourself healthy and happy and to keep your social life going in the right direction, acknowledge the truths, and stay in sync with friends and family.