Can my fear of hearing loss be affecting me?

Bless your heart. We all have fears. Fear is on of the most paralyzing emotions that we have. I do believe that fear can cause you to feel like you are getting something. Our mind is a powerful tool.
The fact that your doctor said your hearing was fine is reassuring. I am praying for you and for God to remove that fear from you. Hugs & Prayers....

@xm24 -

Your best time would be spent with someone to address health anxiety with you.

The brain doesn’t know the difference between and worried thought and reality. Don’t underestimate the power of anxiety.

And be very careful on a health forum that someone doesn’t match your anxiety level.

Health forums can be ok, for a quick acute question.
But can worsen health anxiety for some.

Best to talk with someone live and in person to address the reassurance seeking.

Hello, I have a big fear of damaging my body, and one of my biggest concerns is that I may be losing my hearing. My doctors said it was fine, but I constantly worry about it and think that I could be losing my hearing. Is it possible that my fear causes me to think that I'm actually losing my hearing when I actually am not? (Repost because I believe I posted this in the wrong category)

Perhaps losing your hearing - for a host of medical/environmental/other reasons, may be causing anxiety. Rule out medical before you label yourself or allow others to do so. Go for a credible hearing test, perhaps an allergy consult. There are many medical diagnoses where anxiety comes with, not the cause. I have fought these battles for so long on so many fronts - the only medical "thinking" I entertain is if it leads to knowing. Make a plan and follow it to your answers. Medical can prescribe psych drugs, but unless a "talk" psychiatrist, are NOT mental health qualified. Too easy to drug us in one 15 minute office visit, without knowing why or if needed, and what type, side effects, etc, Just went thru 8 weeks of tapering hell to get off a relatively benign drug because i was kept on it loooong past it's short-term need. Did a gene test, says I am incompatible with 90% of that class of drugs, Then more weeks for tapering effects to wear off, and still not done. The right answer for you is out there - persist until you find it.

I had some mild hearing loss due to an acoustical trauma. The bigger problem was that I developed hyperacusis, a condition in which moderately loud sounds are painful. It is a very difficult condition to live with, especially in a big city. But anxiety definitely made it worse and causes me to perceive that my hearing loss is worse than it is. Managing my anxiety both reduces my hyperacusis symptoms and my degree of perceived hearing loss. So, yes, anxiety can create or worsen symptoms of hearing loss, at least in my experience. I wish you the best in managing your own anxiety and hope that your hearing loss is more psychosomatic than real.

I am the same. I feel my hearing is much worse, but testing doesn’t show significant change. I believe they cannot test what I am experiencing. I can still hear the “tones” on the test, but that isn’t measuring pressure, tinnitus and hyperacusis. Those things influence the way I hear.
Tinnitus and hyperacusis are killers for quality of life.
Yes, anxiety makes it worse, but the anxiety was triggered by the physical issue....not the other way around. At least that’s how I feel for myself.

I’m agree entirely. The injury and its effects caused my anxiety which made it worse. But now that my anxiety is reduced, so are my symptoms.

I hope I can get there. What helped you handle your anxiety? I find walking and getting outside is helpful.
I’ve mostly posted on the long Covid thread because I believe the virus has caused my issues. This is not like a gradual age related hearing loss. I think when it comes on quickly, it throws most people into a panic. Feeling...I’m losing my hearing, and no one knows why or how to help! Very disturbing.

Like you, I fast walk everyday. My goal is 3 miles a day. I also do floor exercises and stretching, most of which are necessary for orthopedic PT, but they do alleviate some of my anxiety as well. I’m a poet, so immersing myself in creative writing helps a great deal too by taking me out of obsessive thinking. And yes, I have a low-dose benzo prescription that I use sparingly when all these other strategies don’t work for extreme episodes of anxiety.

I have low dose Klonopin for those bad days too. Sometimes it’s necessary.
I use it sparingly.