Often times various health conditions – whether physical or mental – go hand in hand, requiring dual treatment, or at least a plan with consideration of one another. One of the health conditions commonly seen is anxiety, depression and hearing loss. These three can all affect and impact one another in various ways, with ignoring one causing a decline in the other two. Very often, they can all be related to something else too, all as a part of the same condition.
In this post, we are going to learn more about anxiety, depression and hearing loss, including some notes on what you can do if you happen to be experiencing all of these at the same time. The good news from the outset is that there is always help available, and always things you can do to improve all of these concerns, collectively and independently.
Depression and Anxiety
First of all, one part of this medical situation to understand is that depression and anxiety can go together very frequently. Because of this, it’s important to keep an eye out for the symptoms of one if you know you are already experiencing the other. Sometimes people think that these are completely separate issues, but they actually go together more often than not, so it’s something to look out for.
The other side of that is that if you can get treatment for one, you will find methods for the other, too. In a moment we will see how hearing loss fits into all this, but for now it’s good to know that you can solve both of these at once with the appropriate kind of care, therapy and whatever other treatments your physician recommends.
Untreated Hearing Loss and Depression
Unfortunately, untreated hearing loss can sometimes go hand in hand with depression. The reason behind this can vary and is not always clear, but for many people it’s related to the social impacts of untreated hearing loss. After all, when you have untreated hearing loss, it makes it more challenging to engage with people socially, causing isolation and depression to occur. It’s vital that you do whatever you can to arrange treatment for your hearing loss to help alleviate depression symptoms.
It is also possible to get depressed about the hearing loss itself, to feel as if all is lost and that there is no way out. At these times it’s important to try and remember that there is always a solution, and hearing loss can always be solved and treated in some way or another. As long as you bear that in mind, you should find that you get through it much more readily and easily.
Hearing Loss and Anxiety
Similarly, you can have hearing loss and depression together, so you can also have hearing loss and anxiety at once, and for similar reasons. After all, if you are struggling to hear your friends speak, it can be easy to think that they are talking about you or judging you, and many people with untreated hearing loss do report these kinds of feelings at first. You might find it anxiety-inducing to try and hear when you can’t really hear, too, which is another reason it’s so important to get the help you need when you need it.
As long as you seek out the appropriate care, your anxiety should be able to reduce considerably over time, and hopefully quicker than you might think.
Getting Help
Now that you understand the connection between all these conditions, it’s critical to seek the right treatment for your mental and auditory health. You can talk about anxiety and depression with your physician, and they may address it medically, or they may recommend you to another professional for therapeutic treatments. Treating these two conditions may also give you a clearer head to decide it’s also time to address your hearing loss.
Treating hearing loss in tandem can also alleviate your symptoms of depression and anxiety. For that, the best approach is to contact a trusted audiologist who knows what they are doing and can provide you with the best technology and hearing aid counseling. The team at Hear Here Audiology is familiar with hearing loss and many other conditions that impact each other and are ready to help you improve your quality of life! To reach our office and learn more about your treatment options, simply give us a call at: 727-289-1212.
