A few years ago, two friends and I, all with hearing loss, were driving together. Two people in the front seat were gabbing together leaving the person in the back left out of the conversation (this is before we knew about ALDs).
When we arrived at our destination I apologized for leaving the person in the back seat out of the conversation. She said it was no problem; she was happy looking at the interesting scenery and reading her book. And she really seemed to be fine. I was surprised because I know if it were me, I would have felt bad, left out and ignored. I wish I would be like my friend, but I’m not.
Some people are extroverted and people-oriented. They want to be in the thick of things and feel excluded if they can’t participate, while others, are more introverted and happy to be alone with their thoughts, like my friend on that drive.
When my hearing loss suddenly worsened about 10 years ago, my hearing aids weren't able to give me the boost that I needed to fully participate in group conversations. This was so difficult for me to accept that I became anxious and then depressed and just wanted to hide in my room. Now I wonder if a more introspective person might have been less challenged or differently challenged.?
Many other factors affect how you deal with your hearing loss, including:
· support you get from your friends and family and professionals
· your confidence level
· state of your health
· if you’re faced with family, financial, or physical challenges as well
I would love to hear how you think your personality affects your ability to deal with your hearing loss. I’m putting together a short survey on the subject. Once I have enough data, I’ll compile the results and report back. Please help me by completing this short survey and feel free to pass the survey to others with hearing loss. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F2H8YJY
And leave your comments below.