Silent Shift: How Hearing Loss in the Voice Range Changes Your Life
I have never been a good listener, not because of selfishness or lack of interest.
I spoke constantly as a child. Yet I rarely took in what others were saying.
When someone spoke to me or shared a story, I could only catch bits and pieces of what was said.
I genuinely desired to hear what others said, but I didn’t realise:
I had hearing loss, and
I didn’t know that later in life I’d need hearing aids.
Upon being diagnosed with hearing loss and associated tinnitus, I realised my difficulty understanding speech had started long before that moment.
The diagnosis didn’t explain everything, but it confirmed what had been there all along.
In my first year of school, my mother took me to a hearing specialist. I was diagnosed with catarrh, but no further investigation followed.
I went through my school years mishearing instructions and being reprimanded for not following them, without understanding why.
I still didn’t know what was preventing me from hearing words clearly, so I spent my school years mishearing instructions and being reprimanded for not following them.
Despite my efforts to engage in conversations, my worsening hearing added another layer of complexity to the issue.
It became a constant effort to balance expressing myself with accurately hearing what others were saying.
In my late 40s, I finally got my first pair of hearing aids. I was shocked to realize the extent of what I had misunderstood, especially song lyrics.
I have always loved singing and used to guess the words to songs.
I often came up with strange or vulgar versions, which either entertained those who heard them or, worse, earned me criticism.
Now, I have hearing aids.
Crowded environments are still challenging for me, especially when multiple voices overlap.
At restaurants or in the workplace, I’ve realized that we each have to find our own path and figure out what works and keeps us happy.
I’m so glad I have found the reason why I struggled so much in social situations.
I still struggle. But at least now I know why.
Life can be hard, but it’s good most of the time.
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