You’re missing calls now. , it’s that you can’t hear the phone ring. On other occasions, you simply don’t want to deal with the hassle of having a conversation with a garbled voice you can barely understand.
But it’s not just your phone you’re avoiding. Last week you skipped softball with friends. This sort of thing has been occurring more and more. You can’t help but feel somewhat… isolated.
The real cause, obviously, is your hearing loss. You haven’t quite determined how to integrate your diminishing ability to hear into your day-to-day life, and it’s resulting in something that’s all too widespread: social isolation. Escaping isolation and getting back to being social can be tricky. But we have a number of things you can try to make it happen.
First, Acknowledge Your Hearing Loss
Often you aren’t really certain what the cause of your social isolation is when it first begins to occur. So, noticing your hearing loss is a big first step. That could mean making an appointment with a hearing professional, getting fitted for hearing aids, and making it a point to keep those hearing aids in working order.
Acknowledgment may also take the form of telling people in your life about your loss of hearing. In a way, hearing loss is a type of invisible ailment. There’s no particular way to “look” like you’re hard of hearing.
So when somebody looks at you it’s not likely they will notice that you have hearing loss. Your friends may begin to feel your isolation is a step towards being antisocial. If you tell people that you are having a difficult time hearing, your responses will be easier to understand.
Your Hearing Loss Shouldn’t be Kept Secret
Accepting your hearing loss–and telling the people around you about it–is an essential first step. Making certain your hearing stays consistent by getting regular hearing assessments is also significant. And it may help curb some of the initial isolationist tendencies you might feel. But there are several more steps you can take to tackle isolation.
Make it so Others Can See Your Hearing Aids
The majority of people think that a smaller less visible hearing aid is a more ideal choice. But it might be that making your hearing aid a little more visible could help you communicate your hearing impairment more deliberately to others. Some people even go so far as to emblazon their hearing aids with customized artwork or decorations. You will encourage people to be more considerate when talking with you by making it more obvious that you have hearing loss.
Get The Correct Treatment
Dealing with your hearing loss or tinnitus is going to be much more difficult if you aren’t correctly treating that hearing ailment. What “treatment” looks like could fluctuate wildly from person to person. But wearing or properly adjusting hearing aids is commonly a common factor. And your day-to-day life can be enormously impacted by something even this basic.
Be Clear About What You Need
It’s never fun to get shouted at. But there are some individuals who believe that’s the preferred way to communicate with someone who has hearing impairment. That’s why it’s important that you advocate for what you need from those around you. Perhaps instead of calling you via the phone, your friends can text you to plan the next get together. If everyone can get on the same page, you’re not as likely to feel the need to isolate yourself.
Put People In Your Path
In this age of internet-based food delivery, it’s easy enough to avoid all people for all time. That’s the reason why you can steer clear of isolation by intentionally placing yourself in situations where there are people. Instead of ordering groceries from Amazon, shop at your local grocery store. Set up game night with your friends. Social activities should be arranged on your calendar. Even something as simple as going for a walk around your neighborhood can be a great way to see other people. In addition to helping you feel less isolated, this will also help you to discern words precisely and to keep processing sound cues.
It Can be Dangerous to Become Isolated
Your doing more than curtailing your social life by separating yourself because of neglected hearing loss. Isolation of this sort has been connected to mental decline, depression, worry, and other cognitive health issues.
So the best way for you to keep your social life going and keep yourself happy and healthy along the way is to be realistic about your hearing ailment, be honest about your situation, and do what you can to ensure you’re making those regular card games.