What I Learned From My Hearing Loss Journey…

By: Jessica Shae

My hearing loss journey didn’t happen all at once. It unfolded in stages — diagnosis, adjustment, frustration, acceptance, and eventually growth. Along the way, I’ve had to relearn what works for me repeatedly as my hearing changed. These are some of the lessons I’ve learned through the years.

In the Beginning… after the diagnosis and first pair of hearing aids

1.      Give yourself grace and allow yourself to feel angry, sad, emotional….whatever you are feeling

2.      Allow yourself to hear long forgotten sounds…water, rain, whispers between friends (yes I heard this a lot while I was in college accidentally)

3.      Give yourself time to adjust and when you’re ready start to do some slow research about your new reality

After a few years….

1.      You do need to wear both hearing aids….can’t get by with just the one

2.      Learn how to speak up for yourself

3.      Most people can’t imagine what your life is like… many just don’t think about it… which makes it more important to say “Can you please repeat that?”

4.      No… you will never get used to someone saying “Never mind…. I’ll tell you later” and walking away

Even more years later…

1.      Be proud of who you are… your hearing loss is part of your identity, but it does not define your worth

2.      Keep speaking up for yourself

3.      Be amazed by all the new technology that continues to evolve, and try and try again to figure out what will work for you

4.      Give yourself ‘ear out’ breaks during the day

5.      Hearing loss is exhausting….. take a silent walk…. build quiet moments between meetings or appointments. Rest matters.

For me, hearing loss is still a journey of adjusting and readjusting as my hearing slowly declines. Through every stage, I’ve learned that hearing loss is not just about sound – it’s about patience, resilience, communication, and learning to give yourself compassion along the way.