What are the stages of hearing loss?
The first stage is denial, which can take two forms: (1) the person doesn’t believe he/she has a hearing problem, and/or (2) the person cannot talk about the hearing problem. It is characterized by placing blame or responsibility on others. “I don’t have a problem. They mumble. They don’t speak clearly. They talk too fast.” are common comments during this stage. Denial is usually temporary, and it’s important to acknowledge the person’s fears and uncertainties. Be reassuring and supportive to help them move toward treatment. Withdrawal often occurs after denial, since the person simply doesn’t expose him or herself to situations where hearing is difficult. Anger is the next stage. You may notice that the hearing impaired person is “grouchy” or “has become difficult to live with.” Hearing impaired people may become less tolerant of others because of the comments, frustration, jokes and anger that have been directed at them. They are angry about the loss and how they are treated when the
