2006-09-07 20:42:07 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
The 'social implications' would be whatever small mindedness those around you are guilty of.
If you need an aid to hear better, than so be it.
If someone has a problem with it...that is THEIR problem.
Not yours.
Shine on
2006-09-07 20:46:15 · answer #1 · answered by Comfortably Numb 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It depends on what age you are. I've had hearing aids since I was 4 and it changes as you get older. At first, the kids thought they were cool toys, and then as I got older, I couldn't join in the "whisper" games like Telephone that are so popular in elementary and Jr high schools. I found that I needed to sit near the front of a classroom or meeting in order to hear better. However, having hearing aids does NOT limit what you can do. I played in the band for four years in high school, for example. Most of my classmates THANKED me for teaching them something new. I was not laughed at, ridiculed or ignored because of them. I still dated and had friends.
In the work place I have found the same types of things exist. I am able to help educate people on something new. I have an FM system as well (which is a microphone that allows me to hear the speaker better) and this has become a necessary part of meetings for me as well as others. In my sorority we used it to keep the chapter meetings under control. No microphone, no talking.
I can't speak personally for older individuals but from those I've talked to, they really enjoy being able to hear again. It allows you to keep the television at a "normal" level so people can all watch it together. It allows you to share in conversations.
Wearing a hearing aid is just a way to help educate people and I would never get rid of my hearing loss (ie with a cochlear implant). An added bonus is being able to "turn off" a fire alarm!
Finally, with the new advances in technology, hearing aids are so small that if wanted, the wearer can get an in the ear version that no one will ever see. Personally however, I have a BTE (behind the ear) style for my hearing aids so I can use my microphone. There are communities set up to help people acclimate to the hearing aids. I listed one website below.
Never be afraid of being different.
2006-09-08 17:08:17 · answer #2 · answered by Answers4u 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As a person who wears two of them, I can say that it makes most people who have been around folks who could not hear properly believe you are smart. Smart due to the fact that they can now speak to you without a lot of effort of repeating themselves when you can't hear what they say.
Frankly, I could care less what the others might think. It's my hearing and I am the one that has to live with the frustration of not being able to hear a lot of what people are saying, not them.
My hearing aids gave me back a lot of what I lost and now I hear very well. Well worth it if you ask me. I have seen too many people with false pride keeping them from even admitting hearing loss and I have watched them lost in a world of sound. They fool no one but themselves.
ADDED: I have no idea where viewAskew got information about batteries whistling when they went dead, because it is simply not true. The old analog hearing aids would whistle if you had them adjusted wrong, but hearing aids today are digital and that's been eliminated.
2006-09-08 04:01:31 · answer #3 · answered by Seikilos 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I find that a lot of people try harder to communicate with me; speaking more slowly or overemphasising or trying pidgin sign language; none of which helps much! So if you are a hearing aid wearer, you spend a fair bit of your time explaining to people that actually, you're fine thanks and its easier if they just treat you normally. Some people stare.
For me one of the hardest things is difficulty with the phone (hurrah for text!) and in social situations where everyone talks at once and you can't lipread quickly enough or follow the conversation that jumps around so much (lipreading and hearing has a lot to do with logic).. so i dont enjoy socialising with large groups of people as i feel left out and do a lot of bluffing and laughing when everyone else does so i don't stand out as different.
Otherwise, there don't have to be many negative implications if you're determined and also easygoing and not too sensitive!
2006-09-08 08:35:47 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I dont think there are any anymore. In the past hearing aids were quite bulky. Nowadays they are so small that they fit in your ear canal and are inconspictuous. But if you are wearing a hearing aid most people assume at the least that you can hear. I hope that makes you smile a bit! Take care.
2006-09-08 03:46:33 · answer #5 · answered by girlsaiyan1979 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
My dad recently got hearing aids due to nerve damage from his job. Sometimes when he talks on the phone they interfere mainly if its windy out. I'm the youngest of 5 kids I'm 19 and we all have to watch what we say around him. Cause he can hear a whisper from the other room if hes got his hearing aid's in.
His hearing aid's are small and clear so they aren't really noticeable unless your staring at them. Everyone is glad cause they don't have to yell at him for him to hear them, and the volume on the T.V. is much lower. LOL The kids may ask questions from time to time but other then that no one makes any other comments to him other then "I'm sure glad you got those hearing aid' s now I don't have to yell at you."
2006-09-08 03:47:53 · answer #6 · answered by larrys_babygurl_4life 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hey I got a pair of those little half shells 4 years ago my man, I am so glad to be able to hear birds again. It was all the small things people took for granted that I was missing for years. I got no problems with um bud. Go for it.
2006-09-08 03:50:12 · answer #7 · answered by laa_dee_fukin_daa 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
social?
You miss every part of a conversation and people have no idea what you say? Because you comment on stuff they didnt' say.
The hearing aid is small noone knows you have one, then you get a tongue in your ear, and you're flustered.
You live balls out.. and life on the second and don't care!
[at the worst you don't hear what people say, and it makes the hearing look at you like.... you didn't hear me, so.. is that good?]
2006-09-08 03:47:06 · answer #8 · answered by alwaysbombed 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
People think you're old and can't hear, so they walk up really close to you and yell into your ears.
If you really are hard of hearing, you can sit at a social gathering, turn off your hearing aide so you're alone with your thoughts, and just smile at everyone, laugh occasionally to make them think you're listening, and so get away from having to listen to inane chatter.
2006-09-08 03:46:14 · answer #9 · answered by Pandak 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If the battery goes dead, it whistles and you won't hear it but everyone else will. They look at you in annoyance but you'll just wonder why the are giving you the evil eye.
2006-09-08 03:48:00 · answer #10 · answered by viewAskew 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋