There are ways to deal with a change in your hearing abilities in an efficient and happy manner, despite the fact that it may be distressing and cause you to feel alone. As a result of the large variety of treatment choices currently available, an increasing number of individuals have access to hearing aids and other high-quality hearing devices.
Individuals who do not have hearing problems may have difficulty imagining what it is like to live with deafness, and they may feel uncomfortable asking questions about it. However, gaining awareness of hearing loss is one method to combat stigma and debunk myths about the condition.
Today, we will cover an interview with a lady, Allison Keating, in her late thirties, who has had first-hand experience with deafness. This way, you will have a thorough idea of how to deal with noise sensitivity by the end of this article. Let’s dive in!
How Were you Dealing With Your Deafness?
Being deaf results in a total absence of sound. It’s similar to when you switch out the lights, and the room becomes completely dark. Hearing aids allow me to hear better, yet there are times when I’d rather go without them since I like the peace more.
In the past, I have experimented on my mental health by shutting myself in a room that was completely devoid of any ambient noise and observing the results. This anechoic chamber lasted only forty-eight minutes before I started having auditory hallucinations.
At that point, I begged the security guards to let me out of there so I could get some fresh air. After the event, I went through a period in which I had a newfound appreciation for things I had previously detested, such as the sounds of dogs barking and babies crying. Even though it was short, it helped me learn more about what I could do with my hearing.
When did you discover it?
I was probably around six years old at the time. My hearing aid was adjusted to my specific needs for the first time. I was exposed to an entirely new realm of sound that I had never experienced before. Without any assistance, everybody was able to hear this information!
That day, within the first few moments of “hearing,” I overheard a teapot whistling, which frightened the crap out of me. When was it ready based on the steam billowing out of it? Why on earth did it have to make such a high-pitched noise?
Because there was so much disturbing noise, I wasn’t entirely certain that it was a smart idea to go ahead. Admittedly, in the years that have passed since then, I’ve come to terms with both the products and the wasteful noises that the world produces.
What changed your daily life habits?
Reading lips, making extra effort to comprehend what was being said, dealing with people making fun of my speech and hearing, and having a reduced social life were just some of the challenges I had to overcome.
Despite all of these drawbacks, I have not yet lost my conviction because of the support that I receive from my near and dear ones, including my parents, sisters, and a handful of my closest friends, who are my greatest strengths and supporters. As an adult, I’ve worked hard to have a more positive outlook on life, even though I face new problems every day.
I do this by repeating a positive mantra, telling myself things like, “You are not weak; you are stronger than these folks; they don’t know your narrative. Be appreciative that you have formed yourself into who you are today and be happy that you are working to improve quickly.” If you find that life’s challenges are throwing you off, you need to manage and take responsibility for yourself.
A deaf person’s environment is far more complicated than simply not being able to hear. Many aspects go into this intricacy, but perhaps the most notable is how the deaf and the hearing interact.
Deaf and hard-of-hearing people face additional difficulties while dealing with emergency circumstances. Getting information, communicating, and getting medical care can all be challenging for those who are deaf. Deaf people are often forced to rely on others because of these issues.
What kind of support did you get to deal with it?
There is a plethora of technologies aimed at helping the deaf population, but at the end of the day, deaf people are deaf people.
By far, the most popular option is a hearing aid. Although this is similar to putting microphones in your ears, it can be quite beneficial to those who have severe hearing loss. Even though hearing voices is still a challenge for me, I am thankful for my hearing aids.
The Cochlear implant is another common option. The cochlea, a portion of the brain responsible for processing sound, is surgically implanted with this device, and you wear an external gadget to pick up the sound. If you’re interested in learning more about the Cochlear Implant (CI), you should do your homework first. It’s a hot topic among deaf people and explaining it all would take a book. If you’re thinking about getting a CI, I strongly recommend completing extensive research before making a final decision.
In the end, the best course of action is to accept that you are deaf and use it to your advantage. Learn to sign and lipread, find a deaf community in your area, and make some new acquaintances.
Consider the deaf and ASL community near you.
How others perceive you?
My grandma held the belief that a child with a disability needs parents with exceptional qualities. Friends were frightened every time my parents introduced me to prospective members of the local sports club as a young deaf child. It appears to be a practical approach to learning how others perceive my deafness rapidly. People generally have an open mind, are reliable, and take the initiative, or they show discomfort and an apparent lack of maturity by doing nothing and sitting around.
Using facial expressions of delight or scowls, I could rapidly dissuade these actions and convey them to my parents either with approval or disapproval. Deaf and disabled men quickly adapt to unpleasant situations and make quick decisions to back off, walk away, and so on. We can appreciate humanity in little doses, but we’re better at it than others. Every one of us is handicapped in some way by society. It’s a crazy, horrible, tragic world, full of colours and flaws, for all of us to care for and safeguard as individual souls.
Bottom Line: Get Support
There are several online communities for those who are bothered by sounds and want to interact with others in a similar situation. However, you should make sure that they are useful and factual.
Maintain a defiant refusal to feel sorry for yourself and actively search for brave ways to improve their situation in the world. Instead of trying to get rid of everything unpleasant, show some intestinal fortitude and tackle some of these issues while also looking for methods to apply exposure-based strategies. You will come out ahead in the long run.
