Left untreated, hearing loss is often related to:

• Negative attitudes, anger, and irritability
• Stress, fatigue, and tension
• Depression
• Loneliness
• Desire to avoid social scenes
• Unsafe situations due to decreased alertness
• Lower job performance
• Trouble remembering things or following directions

Many people chalk these symptoms up to old age. But in truth, hearing loss occurs in every age group. It’s especially important to catch hearing loss in children since healthy hearing is so essential to language development and learning skills. But adults young and old also need to watch for signs of hearing loss so they can make the most of their quality of life. You know hearing is important. Healthy hearing allows us to communicate. To socialize with friends. To alert us of trouble and work more effectively. Healthy hearing even helps us relax. So when your hearing declines—and it does for most people at some point—it can feel like much of your life is going downhill. The fact is, hearing loss doesn’t just affect you physically. It can impact your emotional and social health, too.