Denial
Hearing loss “creeps up” on us. Other health concerns might introduce themselves
to us through pain or discomfort or loss of some ability that is undeniably our
own problem. However, when we begin to lose our hearing, we can deny that we are
the source of the trouble by blaming others for mumbling, not enunciating
properly, or not projecting their voices when they speak.
Of course, some people do mumble and speak very softly, so we can “get away
with” this kind of seemingly innocent claim for many years. Next, the
television, radio and noisy situations are the cause, we say; however, at a
deeper level, we have begun to realize that we are simply not hearing as well as
we used to hear.
Once we have realized that at least some of our hearing difficulties result from
our own disability to hear and understand what we hear, this is the time to
take action to prevent loss of our brain’s ability to understand and process
what it hears. (In other words, before we lose our ability to think and
remember) Many of us have known an elderly person who changed from blaming
others for their hearing loss, to blaming their hearing aids! “Those things are
no good” they might say, but the real problem originates in failing to take
action quickly, once a hearing loss has been determined by testing.
The inner workings of our ears as well as our brains need the stimulation of
sound in order to keep awake and alert as to what is really happening in our
environment. Many of us have also known elderly people who were sharp and
interested and involved in life. People with uncorrected hearing loss are not
part of this group, who, because of all the stress experienced in just trying to
hear, tend to withdraw and isolate themselves rather than suffer the
embarrassment of their dysfunction.
Admitting to hearing loss can be a scary moment for some of us, but truthfully, also a very powerful moment, because it’s the beginning of finding a real solution to the problem. As with all important matters, expert advice is required. A highly trained Beltone specialist is there to assist his patients every step of the way to recovering the sounds that are missing, and help make hearing a pleasure once again.
