“I felt extremely vulnerable and isolated. I worried about missing the smoke alarm and I didn’t sleep very well. I had a vibrating alarm clock pad, but I worried about it sliding out from under my pillow”
Following conversations, particularly in group, noisy or low-lighting environments, can be exceptionally tough for people who are deaf. What’s more, deafness is often invisible – this means others aren’t aware or reminded to adapt their communication style to support a deaf person’s understanding.
Often, when asking someone to repeat themselves, a deaf person can be met with ‘It doesn’t matter’. Although not intentional, we’re told time and time again by our community that this can feel like someone has said ‘You don’t matter’. Feeling sidelined in social situations can result in feelings of rejection and loneliness.
“When I started losing my hearing, I quickly found that people could not be bothered to help me understand them. At the pub, I would end up standing on my own in silence. I couldn’t follow what people were talking about and in the end, I would give up and go home.”
Many deaf people face issues in public spaces when other people don’t realise, they can’t hear. This can include being shouted at, shoved, pushed past or, in Devon’s upsetting case, having another personal boundary seriously crossed.
These experiences can lead to feelings of anxiety or fear of going into public spaces and having to communicate with others.
“I was on a train, trying to go places by myself. Someone asked me to move but I didn’t hear them. So, they physically picked up my prosthetic leg and moved it.”
If you relate to any of the feelings described in this blog, please know that you don’t have to face these feelings alone. We understand the challenges that living with a hearing loss can bring, and that it affects every person’s mental health differently.
To talk through how we could support you or your loved one, please contact us at applications@hearingdogs.org.uk. For immediate mental health support, Samaritans are available 24/7 by phone on 116 123 or by email at jo@samaritans.org.
Being deaf or having hearing loss can be an isolating experience. Many deaf people can feel cut off from other people because of the communication barriers they face every day.
You can make life easier for deaf people and people with hearing loss, and make them feel more included and connected, by being aware of a few simple things you can do to aid communication.
To make things easier for deaf people and people with hearing loss, download your copy of our free communication guide today.
Hi everyone, I'm Matt and I look after the charity's social media, blog and e-newsletter.
I spend a lot of my day talking about our hearing dog superstars - it's a hard life!
