Hearing loss support

Author

Losing it

Dianne Maggs

2005-06-27, 9:54 am

Hi I am new to newsgroups - I have substantial hearing loss in my left ear
with tinnitus and wear an aid in both ears. I find I am becoming more and
more isolated from society - do others have this problem?
Dianne

Ken

2005-06-28, 11:03 pm

Of course. If you are deaf, with or without hearing aids, you are
isolated. A good audiologist, by selecting and configuring the most
suitable hardware for your problem, will help you to participate. You
must make the effort to learn to benefit from it - the learning curve
is, initially, pretty steep. And then you must go out there and
re-learn participating.

But if you look through posts to this group (search under words like
'isolation' and 'withdrawal' ) the message is that it is well worth
while. I am profoundly deaf and, without my hearing aids, the world is
pretty quiet. Even with them I miss a lot. But you learn to get people
to help and you learn various tricks. You will rarely experience
rejection (and if you do, tell yourself that the rejecter will probably
be deaf himself at some stage!). In fact, outside my family (and they
are pretty blunt sometimes) I don't recall anything remotely
approaching rudeness.

I have never felt that deafness entitles me to help from others. Rather
I have found a degree of help and support readily forthcoming. Maybe
this is more so when, like me, you have BTEs so that your deafness is
manifest.

Kerry Wannamaker

2005-06-28, 11:03 pm

What you said, Ma'am

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 11:47:10 GMT, "Dianne Maggs"
<dianne.maggs@bigpond.com> wrote:

>Hi I am new to newsgroups - I have substantial hearing loss in my left ear
>with tinnitus and wear an aid in both ears. I find I am becoming more and
>more isolated from society - do others have this problem?
>Dianne
>

Sue

2005-06-28, 11:03 pm

Hi Dianne,
Yes I have found I was becoming isolated so I thought "What the heck,
these people who don't understand aren't going to spoil the rest of my
life for me" - so I have made myself do things. I joined a line
dancing group. Even though I can only understand about 50% of what is
being said - I stand in the front row so I can see the instructor.
Can't understand much of what is going on around me in the hall either
as it has very bad accoustics. I just smile and mumble something. I
also do Yoga and once again I position myself right in the front in
front of the instructor. Never have to fight anyone for this spot as
most people prefer the back. Once again I do not hear everything that
is said. I couldn't cope with golf or tennis as I just found not being
able to hear what was going on too distressing for me. I want to enjoy
the rest of my life to the fullest and no-one else is responsible for
me except myself so you just have to take the bull by the horns and do
things for yourself.
I see where you use bigpond....are you an Aussie. I live in Victoria.
Sue

Dianne Maggs wrote:
> Hi I am new to newsgroups - I have substantial hearing loss in my left ear
> with tinnitus and wear an aid in both ears. I find I am becoming more and
> more isolated from society - do others have this problem?
> Dianne

Anthony

2005-06-30, 11:50 am

"Dianne Maggs" <dianne.maggs@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:2HRve.7480$oJ.588@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Hi I am new to newsgroups - I have substantial hearing loss in my left ear
> with tinnitus and wear an aid in both ears. I find I am becoming more and
> more isolated from society - do others have this problem?
> Dianne
Yes, for me any environment where more than one person will be talking is a
problem. Cocktail parties are out as are restaurants where the tables are
close together and there are a lot of hard surfaces. There are adjustments
to be made, and I find for example that a meal at home with one or two other
couples works fine. Better than going blind tho' at least IMO.

Woodswun

2005-06-30, 5:52 pm

Dianne Maggs wrote:
> Hi I am new to newsgroups - I have substantial hearing loss in my left ear
> with tinnitus and wear an aid in both ears. I find I am becoming more and
> more isolated from society - do others have this problem?
> Dianne
>
>

Not since I got my hearing aids, no. Before that, I was practically a
hermit.

I'd suggest taking a class or two, and make sure that you tell people
that you've got a problem with your hearing as soon as it comes up (IE -
the first time you need to ask someone to repeat what they've said). It
does take a bit of extra effort to break out of a rut, but I think you
will find it's well worth the effort.

Woods