Hearing loss alarm: half a million Dutch people no longer follow conversations and close themselves off | Domestic

Of the 1.5 million Dutch people with moderate to severe hearing loss, one in three suffer from the phenomenon of fade-out: the feeling that they no longer belong, simply because they have difficulty understanding others. This is evident from a study by research agency Motivaction, commissioned by Specsavers.

23-year-old Brecht Faber from Leeuwarden is an expert by experience. She has struggled with her hearing since she was 8, due to an ear infection. The student does not always feel comfortable, especially at social gatherings, such as birthdays. “I partly cut myself off from my surroundings, because otherwise I would no longer be able to follow it all. You hear so much around you, there are so many conversations. I can only focus on one thing. A lot of things pass me by.” The same goes for going out. “I just have an extra drink, because otherwise I’m afraid my friends won’t like me. I don’t always want to say ‘waaat?’ or ‘what are you saying?’ call. It takes a lot of energy to keep myself going.”

A large proportion of young people with hearing loss feel unsafe, depressed and anxious. 300,000 Dutch people even indicate that they are losing control of life. Being able to hear well is the basis for being able to participate well, especially socially, says Eric Schoenmakers, senior researcher in the field of loneliness and conversation. “It’s a vicious circle. If someone has difficulty hearing at a birthday party, they do not feel part of the group. The extra attention it takes to be able to participate takes a lot of energy. That’s tiring. And then there is a chance that someone will stay home next time, with all the consequences that entails.”

The healthcare provider for the deaf and hard of hearing (GGMD) has signaled an increase in hearing loss in our country in the coming years. “If we don’t stop this, it will cost society a lot of money,” says Saïd Bellari, medical director and psychiatrist at GGMD. “People who do not address their hearing impairments in a timely manner or who fade into the background on a psychosocial level, ultimately end up in care. The Hague must use this research to invest plenty of money and energy in prevention.”

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Talking about hearing loss, especially among young people, is a taboo that we must break, says Schoenmakers. “Many people keep the complaints to themselves, because hearing loss is often attributed to age. It’s something for old people, people think. That is not true. Hearing loss is becoming increasingly common, not only due to an aging population, but also because our society is becoming increasingly louder.” Fade-out is a phenomenon that often occurs unnoticed by the environment. “That is why it is so important that a name is given to this. That ensures recognition. Because only when you name something does it become tangible and you can do something about it.”

People are afraid to talk about hearing loss because of insecurity and shame. Afraid that the other person will not understand. After all, it is impossible to tell from the outside whether someone has difficulty hearing. Precisely for that reason, many people with tinnitus (a persistent ringing in the ear) are reluctant to talk about it. Reason for concern is that almost half of people with hearing loss have never had it examined by a hearing specialist.

In addition, it is striking that young people between the ages of 18 and 24 experience fade-out more often than older people. This has to do with the phase of life a person is in, says Gert-Jan Hendriks, professor of clinical psychology at Radboud University. “Fade-out is about how you feel in a social context. Young people are in the middle of life, often have many social contacts and want to participate in everything. Not being able to participate socially has an even greater impact on their mental well-being.”

Hearing specialist Specsavers wants to break the taboo. “By conducting more research into fade-out, we want to increase knowledge and gather more insights to increase participation of hearing-impaired people in society,” says director Wouter van der Hoeven. Several organisations, psychologists and scientists are now lining up to join Specsavers’ ‘Stop fade-out’ initiative.

For some, a hearing aid offers relief, but it is certainly not the holy grail, warns ear, nose and throat doctor Dennis Kox. “Not everyone feels more socially comfortable wearing a hearing aid. In addition, the fade-out is also subject to completely different factors. Such as the problem that more and more social contacts die in older patients, that the discomforts associated with aging also result in reduced social contacts – no longer being able to drive a car, cycle, walk – and probably many more factors. Of course, looking at all these factors and offering tools for this is a very good step to prevent or treat fade-out.”

Typically, hearing impaired people wait seven to ten years before seeking professional help. According to SafetyNL, attention to hearing loss is crucial, because ‘neglecting it can have a major impact on the quality of life’. The expertise center also points out that there is a link between age-related hearing loss and the development of dementia.

Hearing loss is a global problem. The number of hearing-impaired people is expected to double to 900 million by 2050.