Hearing problems have increased due to COVID-19, and they are slowly becoming a very prominent public health issue. Individuals with hearing impairment have a different method of discovering and exploring life and the world than those with perfect hearing. As auditory damage develops or worsens, the impacts can become more severe and irritable. It may become difficult for adults suffering from hearing impairment to contribute to a conversation at community gatherings or meals with colleagues, making them feel isolated from such activities due to the inability to communicate. As the time passes, these language hurdles might lead to some impacts on their daily life:
1. Mental Health Problems
Hearing impairment may cause mental health problems like depression. Individuals with slight or significant hearing loss tend to isolate themselves from social activities in the community, at work, or school. These people may feel less socially integrated, which may lead to depression. In addition, children with such a condition may face bullying and feel that they aren’t enough.
2. Lesser Job Opportunities
Individuals with any level of hearing disability might not be considered suitable for jobs that require quick conversation or response, such as receptionists, or people working at call centers. As they may feel difficulty conversing with people or might be slow with responses, they may not be able to work in chatty workspaces.
A job interview may also be a stressful experience. Those who struggle with hearing damage may feel entirely ignored when they indicate their hearing status on application forms. Once they get to the interview stage, things get much more complicated. Interviewers might not be trained to conduct interviews in sign language or accommodate the next person to their specific needs.
3. Social Life Struggles
There are numerous social life struggles individuals with slight, profound hearing loss or general hearing problems might face on a day to day basis:
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Watching Movies At a Cinema
When it comes to setting up films with subtitles, theater chains are generally unreliable and tend to play only movies that have been out for a long time or at unreasonable hours, like 11 am on a Wednesday.
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Getting Their Attention
Calling out a person’s name is usually enough to get their attention, but a person with hearing loss may not be able to hear the call. Deaf people use rigid but polite tapping on the shoulder to get their point through. However, individuals unfamiliar with the deaf community may not be aware of this, leading to conflict.
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Variations in Sign Language
Different nations have their standards for sign language, so it is not universal. Further complicating matters are regional variances throughout the country. Although this may not seem like a significant concern, it has caused permanent harm, such as in legal circumstances or miscommunication during medical visits, due to the varying dialects in different areas and countries.
Endnote
Technological advancements have led to many treatments being available. Cochlear implants are common among children and teens born with hearing loss. On the other hand, hearing aids and wax removal methods are common in the middle-aged and elderly.
Getting checked on time can let doctors deal with early signs of hearing damage to prevent any significant loss in the future. You can take a free online test at Helix Hearing Care. If any problems are identified, you can consult their professionals to get them checked.
