Appearing withdrawn, or becoming quiet
Individuals with hearing loss often become quieter or can appear to become withdrawn in social situations or in noisy environments. This can be due to the person being frustrated they may not be able to hear properly, or from feeling self-conscious or embarrassed that they will have to ask others to repeat themselves.
Exhaustion after socialising
While it’s normal to feel a bit tired after a long day of catching up with family or friends, if you or a loved one is feeling totally drained and exhausted after conversing with others, there could be more to it than simply needing a good night’s sleep.
Ogden goes on to explain that when a person is not able to hear all the sounds of speech, the brain has to work harder to fill in any gaps to help them make sense of what people are saying. To do this, it requires a lot of extra focus and makes the brain work even harder to process what is going on, leading to fatigue.
Treating hearing loss can not only improve the health of the person suffering but also those around them, having a dramatically positive effect on their social relationships and love life. That’s why if you recognise a number of these signs in yourself or a loved one, it’s time to seek the help of a professional audiologist.