It turns out that hearing loss has yet another way that it can cause problems with a person’s overall level of health. According to the latest research, hearing loss has been significantly correlated with depression in people of most ages. This is problematic and frightening because hearing loss has also been linked to so many other terrible disorders. Here we will take a look at the new research, how hearing loss can cause depression, and how to treat this form of hearing loss related depression.
How To Treat Hearing Loss Depression
One of the benefits of having this form of depression is that the cause is very well-known, therefore the treatment should also be very obvious. For people with hearing loss caused by depression, it is necessary to treat the symptoms of depression by treating the hearing loss. To treat hearing loss, you will either need to have surgery or you should look into getting a hearing aid.
However, surgery is not an option for all forms of hearing loss, but it can successfully treat the symptoms. If you have hearing aid, you will be able to take part in more conversations and can resume many of your favorite activities, which is shown to be an important part of alleviating symptoms.
Study And Results
The study started by the Institute of Deafness and other Communication Disorders was important and one of the first of its kind. It used almost twenty thousand individuals in order to examine their pre-existing levels of hearing loss as well as the presence of depression. The hearing losses were self reported to the researchers, except for the people above 70 who had to go into the clinics for examinations.
Once the hearing levels were logged, then the people were all given a test to show if they had any active symptoms of depression. Once the results can back, they found that there was an incredible amount of people with hearing loss and depression under the age of 70. In fact, 11% of people who had hearing loss had depression in this age range.
How Hearing Loss Causes Depression
Hearing loss can cause depression in two different ways. First, it is possible, but not yet confirmed, that the brain damage that is seen in people who suffer from hearing loss can cause depression in these individuals. This claim is still being looked into at the present time.
However, it is known that depression occurs in people with hearing loss because they are not able to live their lives like they could before hearing loss. The lack of hobbies and conversations makes them very withdrawn, and leads them down the dangerous path of depression.