1. Accept you're not getting the best out of your hearing
Many people make the mistake of pretending there isn't a problem. They think that if they don't acknowledge it, then it doesn't exist!
This is a perfectly natural reaction. It's actually part of our normal response to the loss of something we cherish.
- Pretending nothing's changed
That's why you may have found yourself saying things like “I don't have a problem”, or “People don't speak properly these days”. It's because you want your hearing to be as it was. Your thinking hasn't yet caught up with the new situation. - Looking for a cause
When we've finally accepted that something's changed, we tend to look for a cause: "It's all those discos I went to in my youth." We may even try to find someone or something to blame - "Why didn't they give us proper hearing protection?", "Why do I have to grow older?" - Looking for the "Quick Fix"
This is where you try to find a quick fix to “cure” the problem, such as “Maybe scientists have created a cure for hearing loss”, or “Maybe it's just a bit of wax” or “If I eat the right kind of foods, maybe it will return.” - Some people then find themselves getting depressed for a while
They start to wonder how they will be able to “be themselves” now that their hearing is not as sharp as it used to be. They may even wonder what other people will think of them.
All these stages are a perfectly normal response to changes in hearing. And you are not alone if you recognise yourself in them.
But you now need to move on from these stages to the final stage:
- Accepting how your hearing is now, and building from there...
Only by accepting the changes in your hearing can you do something positive about it. And the good news is that it's now easier than ever today to overcome a hearing loss. Modern hearing technology really is very good, and there is a large range of ultra-discreet options available as well.
2. Get professional advice
How you overcome a hearing loss depends on the type and degree of the hearing loss. So the first positive step you can now make is to get the best advice for your hearing that you can.
That's where Broom Reid & Harris come in. Simply make an appointment today with one of our hearing care practitioners and we'll provide you with expert advice on what's best for your own hearing.
3. See the changes in your hearing in a positive light
If you've been reading through the information on this website, you will have seen that changes in hearing are very common. And if more people realised just how common they were, we would all be a lot quicker to accept it as a fact of life and get on with overcoming the problems they present.
So once you think of changes in hearing as an inevitable part of life, you'll find your whole attitude changes. Instead of thinking about what you can't hear any more, you start thinking about what you could be hearing with today's hearing technology.
Start enjoying your hearing again! And take pleasure in being able to harness today's hearing systems to get the most out of conversations and social situations. After all, as human beings we thrive on interaction with one another!
4. See the solution as something to be proud of
Doing something positive about your hearing says something about you.
It says you are pragmatic, realistic and want to get the most out of life. You are not prepared to let a 'natural process' like changes in hearing compromise who you are and what you enjoy doing. You want to be the real you.
Why shouldn't you enjoy your independence? Why shouldn't you want to know you're getting the best out of your hearing? If not for yourself, then for others who rely on your hearing (e.g. family, friends, colleagues).
So think of the solution as something to be proud of, because it says something about the type of person you are.
Summary
The people who overcome their hearing loss most successfully are those who accept how their hearing is and take positive steps to get the best out of it. They don't believe in putting life on hold when today's technology is so good.