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I don’t know what to do.. - my hearing changed and I feel depressed, anxious :(

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Over 8 months ago, I went to a concert and unfortunately it turned out to be too loud for me. As a result, I partially lost my hearing. I can still understand speech, but the sound quality has changed a lot :confused: music (and not only music) is distorted, sounds flat and simply bad. Everything sounds as if it’s coming through a broken speaker.

This has a big impact on my well-being. I’ve lost energy, I feel sad and angry that this happened. I experience a real sense of loss and helplessness because nothing can be done and it feels irreversible. Also, I have tinnitus and hyperacusis.. My quality of life has dropped a lot. I don’t feel well and I sometimes burst into tears during the day because I’m very scared of my condition. I’m afraid it will get worse and that I won’t be able to live normally…I’ve already consulted doctors, but they told me there are no treatment options.

I’ve started thinking about seeing a psychologist, but I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. I’m afraid my problem is so specific that they won’t know what to do. I also don’t know how to tell them..I’m scared :slightly_frowning_face:

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Yes, it’s a good idea. Look for someone with experience counselling for grief and chronic illness. It might not be a psychologist specifically. Tell them just like you told us. You can print this out to give to them if you like. Therapists are generally pretty supportive and non-judgemental, but if you aren’t comfortable with the first one you go to it’s totally okay to shop around for someone you’re more comfortable with.

Your condition probably won’t get worse and may actually get better very slowly over time, but if you don’t get support with the emotions that surround it it can certainly start to seem worse.

And it might also be worth looking for an audiologist in your area who works with tinnitus and hyperacusis if there is someone. Acoustic shock experience would be great, but may be unlikely. Two pronged attack.

If you’re kicking yourself at all, try to forgive yourself and let it go. You’re human and you didn’t know that you would be succeptible like this. General awareness of these things is still pretty low. I bet the concert was packed, and maybe someone else experienced something similar but most probably didn’t. You had no way of knowing that you wouldn’t be like most. Be kind to yourself. You’ll figure it out and there will be many types of joy again in your future.

I have the same thing in my left ear.

Everything sounds like a broken speaker. I also have tinnitus to go along with it.

Yes it can be depressing.

If you tell an or an audiologist you generally get a huh? look. They have no clue what you are talking about. I believe mine is a result of work related noise exposure. Nothing can really be done. At least like you that is what I’ve been told.

So what to do.

You do what humans are really good at. You learn to adapt. It’s not an overnight process. You’ll have frustrating moments, but as time goes by you will find yourself adapting.

Mine is permanent.

Your’s may not be.

Give it time.

In reply to @Neville

I just wanted to add to this kind and thoughtful response from Neville. I’d second that, without support for your emotions, the condition can seem worse. I don’t have anything that I can usefully add other than I hope you find a good audiologist for support. Wishing you all the very best.

I have booked an appointment with a therapist to talk about my hearing loss. I think about it so often.

I didn’t have a sudden loss, but I have a longstanding loss on my right side that has grown a little bit. Also, the left side is not excellent like it used to be, so I can’t depend on it to get me through some situations anymore. Without a hearing aid, I was mis-hearing people at work several times a day, every day. I have been wearing an aid that helps a lot, and I have ordered a pair of prescription aids so that I can improve my functioning even more.

Sometimes I am really excited to get the aids…I am really looking forward to them. But other times I wonder how it will be…I love to sing and I wonder how much longer I will be able to do it. I can get very obsessive.

My social life has been very flat for a long time. I feel that getting hearing aids will give me some hope to improve that part of my life, but I do need therapy to tackle this.

It’s huge…listening and speaking is a major way to communicate. It’s not the only way at all, but it is usually one of the easiest, and fastest ways, for most people. So, this condition we have, temporary, permanent, stable, progressing, whatever…it’s a challenge of sorts. We are living at a time when technology can help us to mitigate these challenges more than at any other time in history.

I am still looking forward to therapy, because it is overwhelming. I’m very thankful we can talk on these forums, too…this is a big part of the help I need, but it is not the only part I need. I am wishing you lots of healing and strength, and happiness.

Geez, I totally empathize with your situation. Sadly, an enjoyable activity - the concert - has now resulted in your anxiety over the resultant hearing loss. Perhaps a therapist can help you work through your feelings, but also KNOW that excellent solutions are out there to address your hearing needs.

I was born with sensorineural hearing loss (runs in the family) but hammered the few hearing hairs I had left in my ears attending an Elton John concert at Dodger Stadium waaaaaay back in the ‘70s. My hearing has continued its downward slope to now, aged 70, I have the hearing of a cinderblock - if one could ASK a cinderblock how well they hear?

You are at the right place to explore options and take charge of this new condition. Try to focus on the positive aspect of getting your hearing issue diagnosed, addressed, and even fitted for aids if it comes to that. You can post your here to give folks a better idea of where you are in the hearing spectrum.

GOOD LUCK. HOLD FAST. You can get through this to the other side!

Hi and best wishes. You will probably see this all over the forum, but if you are open to advice from a stranger it’s this: work with the providers. 1 Work with the therapist and decide if you feel the person is right for you. Do they understand and respect what you are saying? Do they seem to have the skills to help good change happen? 2 Work with the audiologist to get your hearing aids tuned. An set was not likely to help much, and a new expensive set needs to be adjusted - several times - to start meeting your needs. They have a lot of capacity, but the settings need to be individual. So try to think forward, that it will take maybe 4 or more visits before you start seeing the hearing aids work the way you want them to. 3 And then as for the audiologist. again, “Do they understand and respect what you are saying? Do they seem to have the skills to help good change happen?” Take a while to decide if you think the person is right for you. Some of them are not helpful, or just not a good fit for an individual person. It is a process with many steps and it’s worthwhile but you have to stay determined. That means thinking things can get better, which is tough if you are feeling sad and helpless. But more advice from a stranger: just try to do the things you would do if you felt confident. You don’t have to feel the feeling. Just try to go through the steps. And thank you for wishing all of us strength, healing and happiness. You too!

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