Hearing loss, social isolation, and depression are, unfortunately, all related to each other. In fact, in one study people with hearing loss were twice as likely to suffer from depression than those without it.
It might sound obvious that people who have trouble hearing get depressed about it, but there are other things to consider. For instance, many people with hearing loss don’t know they have it; unless hearing loss is associated with injury, illness or noise trauma it tends to come on very gradually. Given that, it seems that someone who is already experiencing depression could have their condition worsened by hearing loss without even knowing it; the struggle to hear, and the emotional effect of that struggle, aren’t necessarily noticeable. Another factor to consider is people who struggle to hear and communicate in places such as family gatherings, meetings at a coffee shop, or recreational activities, may start to withdrawal themselves from those activities. This can indirectly cause the individual to miss out on things they once loved before their hearing loss, slipping them in depression. Be proactive by including a hearing health assessment as part of your routine health checks to promote overall physical and mental health.