Psychological (original) (raw)
Psychology of Hearing Loss
It seems pretty obvious that hearing loss has pretty significant psychological effects on people. Fortunately, scientists are finally starting to study these effects on people with hearing loss who are not Culturally Deaf.
August 2000 – Edna Shipley Conner presented a workshop on the Successful Coping Attributes of the Hearing Impaired at the 2000 SayWhatClub conference. Here is a workshop summary.
August 2000 – In her 1969 book entitled "On Death and Dying", a renowned Swiss-American psychiatrist named Elisabeth Kubler Ross presented the five psychological stages that terminally ill people go through – denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. It was later realized by professionals and laymen alike that people often experience these same stages as they cope with other losses. Of particular interest to us, of course, is the fact that people respond to their hearing loss with these same emotions. Grieving Over Hearing Loss explores these similarities.
December 2002 – Those of you who were fortunate enough to attend ALDACON 2002 in Orlando, FL, probably got to experience Dr. Harvey’s Keynote Address firsthand. For the less fortunate, here’s the text of the address. It’s very powerful stuff!
January 2003 – Here’s a great presentation on alleviating the stress of hearing loss.
August 2003 – Here’s an absolutely fascinating discussion of some of the psychological aspects of hearing loss. The discussion took place on an email list that focuses on hearing loss and the workplace.
September 2005 – "No two people have the same reaction to life circumstances. Hearing loss can induce observable psychological effects at various points in development. The potential psychological effects of hearing loss are different for children and adults, and an individual’s personality affects adaptation to hearing loss and cochlear implants. In general, hearing loss makes interaction with the outside world difficult. Having a hearing loss has been described as an invisible handicap, especially in the social realm. In fact, Helen Keller once said that deafness cuts one off from people, whereas blindness cuts one off from things". Here’s the complete article as presented in the "ASHA Leader".
December 2005 – People who have not experienced sudden hearing loss are generally unable to imagine the impact it can have on a person’s life. But it’s easy to imagine that the assistance of a good coach might be crucial in helping someone overcome that experience. Here’s Bonnie O’Leary’s report on a 2005 SHHH Convention workshop on this topic.
January 2006 – Anger Over Hearing Loss is Common Emotion
July 2006 – Why People Delay Dealing with Hearing Loss
October 2006 – ALDAcon 2006 Presentation – Coaching and Late Onset Hearing Loss – A Partnership that Works
January 2007 – Psychotherapy Quiets Concerns Over Ringing in the Ears
July 2007 –Here’s our report on the stress management workshop from the 2007 HLAA convention.
July 2007 – Hearing Loss And Depression: Not a Lost Cause
February 2008 – Psychologically Speaking: Do you hear what I hear?
June 2008 – Lost in the Fog: Psychological Aspects of Adult Onset Hearing Loss
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Alleviating the Stress of Hearing Loss
January 2003
You’ve met Bob MacPherson of bhNEWS (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bhNEWS) many times in this newsletter. I don’t understand when Bob sleeps, because he’s always finding and reporting interesting hearing loss news – in addition to running a business. Anyway, he recently posted a link to a great presentation entitled "Alleviating the Stress of Hearing Loss" by Dr. Jennifer Sowards. Please point your browser to:
http://www.ncrar.org/Alleviating%20the%20Stress%20(1)\_files/frame.htm
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Anger over hearing loss is common emotion
January 2006
Hearing loss can be more frustrating and annoying than most people imagine. Trying to understand what someone is saying while only hearing half of what is said is exhausting. Add to that the poor communication habits that most people have, such as speaking without facing the person, and daily communication can become a difficult experience. Few people would disagree that there is a lot of anger among people who have hearing loss. That anger is boiling under the surface and comes out over what appears to be a minor annoyance. Full Story
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What? A hearing aid? Let me ponder this
January 2006
My friend has announced surprising news. In the near future, Bill, as I will call him, intends to get a hearing aid. Family members have been telling him that he often does not hear what they are saying to him, and he has noticed himself missing what others tell him. You would expect me, as a more or less rational person, to welcome Bill’s decision to invest in hearing assistance. After all, I’m the guy who years ago in another column approved of Bill Clinton acquiring hearing aids for each ear. Full Story
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Hearing Loss And Depression: Not a Lost Cause
July 2007
Joe had always been an upbeat and busy person, enjoying a wide range of activities with his family and friends. Then, as he was nearing his 80s, Joe’s happy disposition and positive outlook on life suddenly changed. He became uncommunicative and withdrawn. What happened to Joe? "I started to realize that I was losing my hearing," he recalls. "All the activities I used to enjoy, like going to concerts and the theater, I couldn’t do anymore." The breaking point came when Joe’s grandson was in a school play and "I couldn’t hear a thing, even though I sat in the front row. I saw his lips move and people were applauding, but I had the surreal feeling that I wasn’t even there. It was devastating; as if a black cloud descended on my life." That darkness had a name: depression. Full Story
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Psychologically Speaking: Do you hear what I hear?
February 2008
I’ve had many a young patient who presented with behavioral problems and low frustration tolerance when part of their problem was actually a hearing loss. I’ve also seen families who are quite angry at a family member for the wrong reason, and that reason is a hearing impairment. Last week, I sat in my daughter’s dance class and experienced the pain of music being far too loud, and then drove in the car in which family members had the volume turned up way too high. Here are just a few (among many other) signs of hearing loss: Full Story
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Lost in the Fog: Psychological Aspects of Adult Onset Hearing Loss
June 2008
I met Paul on a hot, hazy, and humid day in Boston. The weather and other things were making me a bit cranky. But I managed a smile when I greeted him in the waiting room. He was 50 years old and very depressed. Although he had been profoundly deaf in his right ear since birth, he had managed this quite well. Paul had been extroverted and a successful salesman. That is, until about 10 years ago when, for some unknown reason, he lost all his hearing in his "good ear." He couldn’t do sales anymore. He suffered from severe tinnitus, which he described as a "high pitch motor whirring." That internal noise robbed him of his sleep. He suffered from a host of medical conditions as well. In his words, he felt like "throwing in the towel." Full Story