Hearing loss is often frustrating – personally, professionally and socially.
But sometimes, our inability to hear the world around us can have more of an impact on our mental health than we realize. Sometimes hearing loss can lead to depression.
Everyone experiences the regular ebbs and flows – joys and disappointments – of life. But if you’ve been stuck in a cycle of sadness, hopelessness and/or isolation for a while, you may be experiencing depression. And it may be related to your hearing.
The good news is, hearing-related depression can often be resolved within a few months of treatment, such as through the use of hearing aids or cochlear implants.
What is Depression?
Depression is a mental illness that affects a person’s mood – the way they feel.
Here are a few notes about depression, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
11% of adults will experience depression at some point in their life.
Clinical depression, also known as major depression, is the most common mood disorder.
Depression is twice as common in women as it is in men.
Symptoms of depression
Depression affects our whole body – with a wide range of physical symptoms – not just our mood and our mind.
Physical symptoms connected with depression include:
- Low mood
- Feelings of worthlessness and/or hopelessness
- Loss of interest in activities you normally enjoy
- Sleep disturbance
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
Depression is not a character weakness, as once believed. Rather, it is a physiological response that can be treated with the support of your medical team.
If you experience any of these symptoms for more than two or three weeks, it’s important to contact a physician.
If you are also experiencing difficulty hearing, make sure to speak with an Audiologist, as oftentimes, treating hearing loss can also help resolve the depression.
How is depression linked to hearing loss?
Studies have shown a link between hearing loss and moderate to severe depression.
As the degree of hearing loss increases – from zero to mild to moderate/severe – so too does the risk of moderate-to-severe depression.
Women are at higher risk than men.
People who experience hearing loss and tinnitus are at greater risk of experiencing depression and anxiety. There are many reasons for this:
- Difficulty understanding and being understood
- Feelings of anxiety and/or isolation.
- Social withdrawal, either deliberately or unknowingly.
- Misunderstandings that lead to frustration and conflict.
- Fatigue, irritability and low mood due to increased concentration.
- Feelings of loss can affect our self-perception and self-esteem.
Taking the important steps to care for our hearing, with the help of an audiologist, can help interrupt the patterns associated with hearing-related depression, and help ensure we get back to a level of thriving.
Symptoms of hearing loss and depression
Has participating in family get-togethers or book club discussions become more difficult due to background noise? This is just one clue that you may be at risk for hearing-related depression.
Other signs to watch for include:
Difficulty communicating with friends, family, or colleagues
- Strained social interactions
- Gradual withdrawal from activities
- Isolation from others
- Anxiety in loud or social situations
- A feeling of lost connection with the world of sound
If any of these symptoms sound familiar to you or a loved one, it may be time to speak with an audiologist. An Audiologist can recommend supportive treatments, such as hearing aids, that will help return clarity to your hearing.
Why hearing aids will help with depression
The longer depression remains untreated, the more far-reaching its impact can be – interfering with our personal, professional and social lives.
Working with an Audiologist as soon as possible can help prevent the social withdrawal and isolation that often accompanies hearing loss and leads to depression.
And more good news: If you are already experiencing symptoms of depression, these symptoms often resolve relatively quickly when the hearing loss is treated.
Research at Johns Hopkins University found that symptoms of depression reduced significantly within six months of using hearing aids.
How do hearing aids help?
Hearing aids can help resolve depression by:
- Improving mental clarity.
- Restoring self-confidence.
- Supporting communication.
- Reducing feelings of frustration and hopelessness.
- Improving connection to the world around you.
- Building and restoring close relationship.
- Promoting involvement in your favourite activities.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of depression and suspect it may be related to your hearing, speak with an Audiologist soon. Early treatment can ensure you sidestep the most severe symptoms. Call us or request an appointment online to schedule an appointment: Broadmead Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2969 or Oak Bay Hearing Clinic: 250-479-2921.
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