According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, more than 5% of the global population require rehabilitation for their hearing loss. This is a huge population that need emotional support to cope with losing the ability to hear.

Losing your hearing can be frustrating and isolating and if left unattended to, can deprive you of simple joys in life such as interacting with your friends and loved ones or even enjoying your favorite music.

But with the right strategies, you can cope with this condition and resume normal life. Below we discuss six ways to help you or a loved one cope with hearing loss.

Take Advantage of Assistive Listening Devices

Assistive hearing devices includes assortments of devices, and not just hearing aids. There are numerous devices designed for different types and extent of hearing loss.

Hearing Aids: These are the most common types of assistive listening devices. They are used to amplify sound and comes in different styles and types, such as behind-the-ear (BTE), completely-in-canal (CIC), in-the-canal (ITC), in-the-ear (ITE) and so on. Choosing the right style and type depends on a few ear-related factors.

Apart from the styles and types, most hearing aids can be customized to perfectly fit your unique needs and lifestyle. An audiologist can help you choose the right type of hearing aids.

Hearing Loop Systems: These devices wirelessly transmit sound signals from a source of sound to telecoil in a hearing aid or cochlear. They are usually installed in homes or out in the public so that users located within the area range or ‘looped’ area, can receive he sound to their devices.

The sound looped by the hearing loop systems is free of distortion caused by distance to sound source or background noise from the surrounding.

Even if you don’t have personal hearing devices, you can still benefit from hearing loop by using telecoil-equipped earphones (LoopBuds), headset, or smartphone app.

Cochlear Implants: Cochlear implants work differently from hearing aids, because they do not amplify sound. Instead, they use electric signals that people with hearing loss hear them as sound. They usually have two parts – the external device that sits behind the ear and the internal piece that is implanted underneath the skin surgically.

Compared to other assistive hearing devices, cochlear implants require significant therapy from a combination of hearing professionals such as speech-language pathologist and audiologist to help learn or relearn the sense of hearing.

Personal Amplifiers: These assistive listening devices are not necessarily meant for people with deafness or hearing loss. People with normal hearing can also use personal amplifiers, like when you are in a car or noisy environment and want to increase the sound and reduce background noise to hear clearly.   

Seek Psychological Help

The mental distress of losing the ability to hear is well-documented, with numerous studies suggesting it can lead to a myriad of psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

Thankfully, the benefits of treating hear loss are also well-known, with research demonstrating that using assistive hearing loss devices can make it easier to cope with the adverse effects of losing the ability to hear and communicate.

Despite the benefits of hearing aids, it also important to seek counseling and support. Luckily, there are many places you can find help.

Friends and family: This is the first place to find solace to deal with hearing loss. Although this sounds paradoxical – hearing loss make it harder to communicate, thus causes isolation – you should spend time with the people close to you to improve your mood and help you avoid feeling disconnected and isolated.

Mental Counseling: Apart from family and friends, consulting with mental health professionals like a psychologist or counselor can help you manage the mental and physical burden of hearing loss. They will give your professional guide that will allow you process and cope with the issue of losing the ability to hear.

Support Groups: Join a support group either in-person or online to connect with others who are dealing with the same challenges as you. They can provide invaluable advice and tips on coping with the issue of deafness.

Embrace Effective Communication

Even though you have difficulties hearing and communicating clearly, it is still essential to practice effective communication strategies. For example, you can use the following tips to improve your communication whether you have hearing loss or interacting with someone who does:

Reduce Background Noise: Minimize surrounding noise if you want to have a conversation. For example, you can turn off TV or music to ensure you have a quiet environment.

Turn Up the Lights: Turning up the lights makes it easier to see each other when talking, enhancing your overall communication. Alternatively, you can choose a place where there is sufficient lighting.

Use Eye Contact/Body Language: If you lose the ability to hear sound, use visual cues to supplement what you are speaking and or hearing. Maintain face-to-face posture and use facial expressions and hand gestures as well as other body languages to supplement your communication.

Modify Your Home

You can do some modifications to your home to make work better for you if you have challenges hearing.

Soundproofing: Install soundproofing to help reduce background sound or sound pollution to make it simple to hear things clearly. Products like area rugs, carpets and acoustic tiles can absorb unwanted sound while sealing around doors and windows reduce exposure to outside noise.

Enhance Sight Lines: Rearrange furniture around your house to make it easier to see other people when communicating. Placing the furniture in a circle or U-shape enables everyone to see each other properly when communicating.

Make the Most of Home Technology: Upgrade or introduce new home technology to help you cope with hearing loss. For example, use hearing loop systems and alert devices like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors or doorbell signalers.

Embrace Self-Care

Losing the ability to hear and communicate can cause unimaginable pains, feelings of isolation, stress, and frustration. Practicing self-care can help you manage these emotions and improve your both your mental and physical health. Some of the key self-care practices to embrace include:

Adequate Rest: Sleep at least 7 hours every night to avoid fatigue and anxiety that can make it difficult to deal with your hearing loss.

Practice Stress-Reducing: You can manage anxiety and stress by embracing activities such like deep breathing, meditation, and even journaling. Such like practices encourage mindfulness and can significantly improve your emotional resilience.

Regular Exercise: Physical activities like walking, yoga, or swimming can help play an important role in reducing stress and improving mood because they trigger endorphins.

Stay Hydrated: Hydrating your body by drinking plenty of water can help prevent fatigue. In addition to drinking water, it is also important to maintain a balanced diet to support your overall health and manage stress.