The Emotional Side of Hearing Loss

I'm a little over 6 months in - right ear implanted. Your comment about wearing out in stressful situations rang a bell. I notice I do the same thing. I was planning on going to Great Granddaughter's volleyball game today at the Convention Center (9 to 2 or later) and my granddaughter suggested that I might not want to go as the noise is so over powering that it is getting to everyone with even normal hearing. If I went they would all be concerned about me, so they will text me the ongoing game results.
When I was first activated (first week) I went to one in a quieter location and was overwhelmed by the noise towards the end of the matches, so much that I didn't hear the warning that a ball was headed in my directions and I got hit in the head. This panicked my tribe (I was ok). They are great at making sure I get to noisy situations but also aware of limitations as my brain 'learns'.

Julie, wow! Are you ever loved! So glad your CI is working out. The brain learning part is wonderful, challenging and tiring. Are you using Angle Sounds app? It’s wonderful - their speech in noise training is great.
When I first wake up and put on my processor, things are SO LOUD!!!! Sometimes I stay quietly in the bedroom so I have time to adjust before speech starts coming my way!

I used to give this to my clients and their allies. In the non-professional world, this handout is super for helping friends and family. Feel free to adapt/use.

@lizzy102 Thank you for sharing your experience. It's so important for people with hearing loss to understand the importance of self advocacy. Without it we fade into the background, and likely don't work up to our potential.

By educating our employers, we help ourselves and many down the road who need the same kind of support.

Thank you so much for this suggestion. I am actually located in Edina. I will check out Dr. King based on your recommendation.

The most emotional experiences I've had were at work. I was on assignment to a new area that had all high cubicle seating areas. My co-workers would talk to each other throughout the day. They would banter back and forth. I could never hear anything they were saying. I could only hear their laughter and so wished I could be a part of it. I know the fact that I didn't "participate" affected people's view of me, but what was I going to do -- Ask everyone to stand on their chairs when they were speaking just so I could hear? I went home crying every night.

My boss loves to talk to me while he's in his office. I can never hear him so I must constantly get up and go in there and ask him to repeat himself. You'd think he'd learn, but I'm tired of reminding him.

In the military, the protocol is for all of the General Officers to sit around the table, and anyone not directly involved in the meeting sits along the wall. All I could see was the back of their heads. I would get a stomachache trying to figure out what information I was missing and prayed I wasn't given a task to follow-up on and didn't hear it. I wasn't about to stand up and tell all of these General Officers and senior leadership to speak up just so little 'ol me could hear them.

I once worked for a 4-star general. They had a high-level meeting which required someone to sit in a back room and use the computer to flip the slides. I couldn't hear the speakers say "next slide" so there was always a delay and a long pause for whoever was presenting. I had visual to the room and could see my boss getting frustrated. I never want to admit I can't do something because of my hearing loss. I know I should've said something so he didn't think I was an idiot that couldn't even flip slides, but I just couldn't because I knew he wouldn't give me certain tasks going forward. Well, it turns out he didn't give me certain tasks going forward... but for a different reason all together.

There are so, so, so many other tough situations I've had throughout the years. Auditory fatigue is so very real.

I always let people know I have a hearing loss and if I did not respond it was because I did not hear them. When I moved to a new neighborhood they considered I was stupid. I became quite successful as a microbiologist and when some of the neighbors who thought I was stupid ask if I would find a job for their children. I told them as soon as something is available I would let them know. I never did as I never forgave them for the way they treated me.

These posts are from 2022. is the Facebook page still active? can you provide me the name please?

I wear two phonak hearing aids that were molded for my tiny ears. I am 78 and have moderately severe hearing loss since COVID days. At first I was bold and positive about it. Now I struggle with conversation since I still miss out on what people say. I wish there was an easier way to tell people to speak up especially in stores and restaurants. It is exhausting constantly telling people I have hearing loss. I joke and ask them if they come with closed caption. While funny it is exactly as someone said, an invisible disability. True no one really understands until they experience the silence. Is there a more effective way to ask someone to speak up while maintaining decorum

I love my husband of 58 years but find that his hearing loss makes it difficult to have regular conversations. After repeating myself 3 times the spontaneity is lost. I try to be patient but he has little patience with me so it makes me want to not try to have regular conversations. He gets mad but it is not my fault and I am doing the best I can. Gets frustrating too when into my second repetition he responds to what I said initially before I am finished. There are two sides and I am reading your comments to try to train myself to understand his!