One of the most devastating ailments from which you can suffer is hearing loss. Not only can it result in widespread inability to enjoy life the way that you used to, but it can also cause many other types of ailments. Since there has been new research into the overall effects of hearing loss, it has been discovered that a new threat has emerged: depression. We will examine the effects of depression upon hearing loss as well as the different ways that you can try to prevent this from occurring.

Prevention

While there is little information as to what can be done to avoid most forms of depression within the population, there is a great deal that can be done to prevent hearing loss. Of course, one of the first things that people should be doing is taking greater measures in order to avoid loud noises. This can be simple for most people, and with hearing protection added on the job, it can be easy for just about everyone. This will prevent you from giving depression the grounds to form within you.

How Does It Occur?

One of the things that most people want to know about hearing loss that is related to depression is how it forms within the human body. The simple answer is that there are two very distinct possibilities. First, the human brain can have certain areas choked off from blood and nutrient flow if you suffer from hearing loss. This is a suspected means of causing depression that has not been proven, but is believed to be effective. Another way that you can suffer from hearing loss and depression is the fact that you cannot communicate with family members or friends like you used to be able to. This can lead to you becoming more withdrawn and less likely to participate in events that make you happy, resulting in depression.

Study

The study that was revealed this link between hearing loss and depression was performed using 18,000 volunteers to test and track their hearing loss. Once it was reported or tested, depending on their ages, the individuals were given a questionnaire that was meant to expose any depression symptoms that they may be feeling. The results were very interesting in that they proved that there is a correlation between hearing loss and depression.

Some of the most significant findings were that the people who were under 70 had a higher prevalence of hearing loss, but the same prevalence of depression as those over the age of 70. This rate of depression among those with hearing loss was a great concern and will continue to be monitored in future research.