If you have recently been diagnosed with a variation of hearing loss, you are not alone. According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, there are 48 million Americans currently living with some degree of auditory damage. As you continue to move forward in life, understand that there is a large community of people who share the same daily experiences and struggles that you are going through. You should also be aware that you possess the opportunity to change the world, not only for yourself but for millions of auditory-impaired individuals just like you. Here are just a few of the ways to be proactive about your hearing loss, and express confidence with this common setback.
Be vocal
Hearing loss is something that is, more often than not, difficult to recognize for people who don’t have the condition. It is important to be upfront about your condition, not only to help people understand auditory impairment better, but to widen awareness of hearing health. If someone has questions about hearing loss, answer them, and explain that while it can be a temporary setback at times, auditory damage does not impact the potential or will to succeed.
Take advantage
There are so many organizational, educational and social resources that are begging to be taken advantage of for those in the hearing loss community. First off, the Hearing Health Association of America has a wide network of state and local chapters all across the country that offer plenty of meetings, programs and support groups you can become involved in. There are also a wide variety of educational scholarships that are designated specifically for those with hearing loss and can provide you with thousands of dollars in grant money as well as academic enrollment options.
Find and join the community
Hearing loss does not and will not ever hinder your ability to maneuver through the internet, and the world wide web is an excellent source for searching and connecting with auditory-impaired peers. Express your experiences, concerns and observations of life with hearing loss by starting up your own blog, which can not only help people living with similar conditions relate and connect with you, but can also result in linking up with other bloggers in the social media sphere who are also determined to raise awareness of auditory impairment.
These are just a few of the ways to help advocate yourself while living with hearing loss. Remember to just stay confident, be patient and above all else, be yourself.
