Denial and Depression with Hearing Loss

There are several widely accepted stages of grief associated with loss. Loss can identify the death of a loved one or friend, a physically disabling injury or even something as seemingly simple as hearing loss. One of these stages is denial and can last from hours or days to months and years.

Denial is a person’s inability to accept a situation and deal with the situation openly. Someone in denial of any physical problem, including hearing loss, cannot be pushed through the denial and into acceptance. People in denial of their hearing loss cannot be talked into seeing the doctor or getting hearing aids. They will argue, fight, kick and scream all the way until they are totally deaf and cannot hear at all without hearing aids.

It often takes a traumatic experience, in addition to the hearing loss, to finally accept the loss and start to openly deal with the situation. Such an additional trauma may be the loss of a relationship, loss of employment or a misunderstanding about finances. Usually, as with any other loss and denial, something else must happen to shove the person in denial out into reality.

Sometimes it takes nothing more than the continued gradual loss of hearing to make someone agree there is a problem and make an appointment for the audiologist. Happily, in these situations, the person with hearing loss will receive a diagnosis that will allow them to avoid any long term suffering.

Unfortunately, for a majority of hearing loss cases, there is no early diagnosis. Those who are not willing to see a hearing professional, to identify the type and severity of hearing loss, often have to go through many months to years of suffering with hearing loss prior to receiving hearing aids.

Loved ones of people experiencing hearing loss can still act to help their family member without arguing and fighting. One of the best things to do is to research and be prepared for the day the denial has ended and their loved one accepts their hearing loss. Preparation should include as much research as possible into hearing loss and the assistance that can be provided by hearing aids. Along with the use of hearing aids, a support network of family and friends can do a great deal to end the grief and allow the patient to live fully in the world.

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