Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and with it the flowers, candy, candlelight and all-around romance that keeps a relationship going strong… Just kidding. Maintaining happy and healthy relationships isn’t as easy as the Valentine’s Day marketers, books, movies, and fairy tales often make them seem. A strong relationship with a significant other (or anyone, really) takes understanding, commitment, open communication, and good, old-fashioned work. This is especially true when one or both people in the relationship have hearing loss.
How hearing loss can affect relationships
According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 15% of Americans report some difficulty with hearing. Countless more, live with undiagnosed hearing loss. In recent years, hearing loss has been linked to everything from cognitive decline to higher healthcare costs, but can also have an adverse effect on our relationships if we let it.
It can start with some frustration over not hearing your spouse clearly, or television turned up too loud. It can evolve into withdrawal from once-loved activities, friends, and even each other as those with hearing loss fall gradually into social isolation. It can become even more severe when social isolation sinks into depression. All of which can put a strain on even the strongest relationship.
Does that mean you should kiss your relationship and your honey goodbye if you have hearing loss? No! A little work can go a long way to making any relationship stronger.
Help your relationship thrive
This coming Valentine’s Day and throughout the year, you can foster your relationship with simple steps like these that help you better communicate and grow together despite hearing loss:
The best relationships take commitment and work, but the payoff, with or without hearing loss, is immense.
If you’re ready to improve your relationship by diagnosing and treating your hearing loss, contact our office to schedule a hearing evaluation today.
If you have questions or would like to schedule a hearing evaluation, call our office today.
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