Depression
& Hearing Health
Are Hearing Loss and Depression Connected?
The prevalence of depression amongst hearing impaired individuals is significantly higher than in individuals without hearing loss. In fact, hearing loss can lead to depression due to the significant emotional, social, and psychological challenges it poses.
How Hearing Loss Can Lead to Depression
Social Isolation: Communication difficulties increase social isolation. That’s because hearing loss makes it harder to follow conversations, especially in noisy environments. Unfortunately, much of our socialization occurs in difficult listening environments. Hearing loss can also cause misunderstanding or missing parts of conversations, inducing frustration and embarrassment. Over time, this can cause hearing-impaired individuals to withdraw from social interactions.
Feeling Excluded: Struggling to engage in conversations may lead to feelings of being left out, misunderstood, disconnected, or discounted by loved ones. Over time, this isolation can erode one’s sense of belonging and contribute to loneliness and depression.
Stress and Anxiety: Constantly straining to hear or interpret what friends and family are saying can lead to fatigue, stress, and anxiety, particularly in social or professional settings.
Loss of Confidence: Hearing loss can lead to a fear of making mistakes or saying the wrong thing during conversations, reducing self-esteem and confidence.
Brain Overload: The brain works harder to process sounds and fill in gaps caused by hearing loss, leaving less capacity for other tasks like memory or critical thinking. This cognitive strain may exacerbate feelings of frustration or hopelessness.
Strained Relationships: Communication difficulties can cause misunderstandings and frustration between individuals with hearing loss and their loved ones, leading to feelings of detachment and emotional distress.
Reduced Social Opportunities: Avoiding group settings or noisy environments can lead to fewer social opportunities, compounding feelings of loneliness.
Loss of Independence: Hearing loss can make everyday activities like phone calls, watching TV, or attending events more challenging, leading to frustration and loss of joy.
Change in Self-Identity: Hearing loss may alter how individuals see themselves, leading to feelings of inadequacy or a sense of losing a vital part of their identity.
Interesting Facts About Hearing Loss and Depression
- Individuals with hearing loss are 2-3 times more likely to experience depression compared to those with normal hearing.
- Hearing loss is the strongest predictor of depression in older adults.
- 60% of seniors with hearing loss are not treating their hearing loss.
- 85% of middle-aged individuals with hearing loss are not treating their hearing loss.
Seeking out hearing loss treatment is the first step to taking back control of the world around you. Being able to hear well improves your ability to communicate effectively and can even lead to substantial improvement in your mental well being, relationships and overall quality of life. Don’t postpone treatment for hearing loss – schedule a hearing evaluation with our Mesa or Scottsdale audiologists today.
Depression and Mental Health Resources
Depression significantly affects many, if not all, aspects of life. Here are some important resources for individuals suffering from depression, with or without hearing loss.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): nami.org
- Mental Health America (MHA): mhanational.org
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): samhsa.gov
- Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA): dbsalliance.org
- SupportGroups: supportgroups.com
- GriefShare: griefshare.org
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org
- Crisis Text Line: crisistextline.org
Your Audiologist in Scottsdale & Mesa
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Mesa Office
480-376-7076
Mon – Fri | 8am – 5pm
North & South Scottsdale Offices
480-608-9817
Mon – Fri | 8am – 6pm
We Accept Most Insurances
Mesa Office - Advanced Hearing Group
South Scottsdale Office - Advanced Hearing Group
North Scottsdale Office - Advanced Hearing Group
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“I have been using AHG for several years and they have been just great to work with. I get the hearing devices I need and they are well taken care of by AHG while I own them. Gary is a great audiologist and the receptionist is always helpful, friendly and available. Try them, you’ll like them.”
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