Learning how to position yourself strategically is so important. You need to see speakers as well as hear them, so position yourself as best you can for that reason. If you're in a place during the daytime with windows, be sure to have your back to the windows so the light is on the faces of the people you want to hear. If you're in a restaurant, try to get a table next to a wall, and put your back towards that wall so you don't get background noise from behind. It helps to ask to be seated in a quiet area. If you're at a social gathering, sometimes it's just easier to a space in the place that works best for you. Talking one on one is easiest for us, so it helps if you can move to a quieter space with someone you're talking with. Most people are more than willing to do that. This is especially an issue in the 'cocktail party environment' where people are standing.

Even though we find ourselves, in some situations, having to just bow out and relax, for the most part we do want to be a part of the group. It helps to understand what works best for us so we can ask others to help us.

Auditory fatigue is real. We work three times harder to concentrate than people with typical hearing do. That exhaustion we feel is real. As difficult as it is to do, taking a break makes sense. And, as others have pointed out, doing this with a smile is far better than being a grouch.

Do you get fatigued with the family gathers? Do they understand your behavior?