Hearing Aids and Self-Esteem

One of the side effects of someone who has a hearing loss and doesn’t get it corrected with a hearing aid is a loss of Self-Esteem.

Imagine you have a hearing loss and you have been guessing and getting it wrong when engaging in conversations.  How long would it take making poor or wrong decisions based on information you thought you heard correctly however you actually didn’t get it right?

How would you feel if someone you’re close to said something to you and because of misunderstanding on your part you felt upset, mad or a deep hurt?  What if people stop having conversations with you because of the effort they have to go thru to get you to understand correctly what they are talking about?  How would that make you feel about them?

It’s very easy to see how not correcting a hearing loss with a hearing aid can make heavy inroads into anyone’s self-esteem.  Often these people seem to have a tough outer shell, usually blaming everyone but themselves.   Break thru that exterior shell and you’ll usually find it is their way of protecting themselves from getting hurt.

It amazes me the staggering number of people who choose to go thru much of their life without getting help for the most important human sense we posses, our hearing.  I see what happens when someone gets hearing aids and the life changes it make for their families, friends and most importantly for themselves.

I feel bad that millions of people loose touch with their family, friends and loved ones needlessly.  A hearing aid could have made their lives, more fun, enjoyable, less stressful, much more active, and most importantly closer with everyone especially those they love.