How Hearing Loss Can Affect Your Relationships and Mental Health

More Than Just “Trouble Hearing”

When most people think about hearing loss, they think about turning up the TV or asking people to repeat themselves. But research suggests the impact can reach much further than that.

Hearing loss may quietly affect your relationships, your mood, and how you feel day to day. It can lead some people to step back from social situations and feel alone — even when family is nearby.

If you’ve noticed yourself pulling back from conversations, feeling more tired, or feeling “off,” your hearing may be playing a role. Here’s what current research says, and how an Audiologist may be able to help.

The Quiet Cost of Missed Conversations

Many of the closest moments in life happen through conversation. Catching up with a spouse. Hearing your grandchildren tell a story. Talking with friends over dinner.

When hearing changes, those moments can become harder. You may find yourself filling in the gaps — smiling and nodding when you didn’t quite catch what was said, or answering with something that doesn’t quite fit. Over time, this can feel exhausting.

Research has found that adults with hearing loss often report:

Feeling left out of group conversations

Avoiding loud restaurants or busy gatherings

Becoming more tired after social events

Reduced participation in social activities

A 2020 systematic review published in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery found that hearing loss is associated with higher risk of loneliness and social isolation in older adults [1]. The same review noted that this association may be stronger among women than men.

How Hearing Loss May Affect Relationships

Hearing loss can affect not only the person experiencing it, but also the people around them.

A spouse may feel they need to repeat themselves often. Family members may feel unheard. Friends may stop suggesting noisy places because they know those settings are difficult. Small misunderstandings can grow into bigger frustrations on both sides.

Common patterns reported by patients and their families include:

Frequent need for repetition during conversation

Disagreements about TV or phone volume

Loved ones feeling ignored when their voice isn’t heard

Less casual conversation throughout the day

These small daily frictions can add up over time. Researchers have noted that communication difficulties from hearing loss may contribute to reduced participation in shared activities and changes in close relationships [2].

The Mental Health Connection

Current research suggests a meaningful link between hearing loss and mental health.

A 2022 study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found that untreated hearing loss was significantly associated with emotional loneliness in older adults [3]. The researchers reported that as hearing loss increases in severity, the likelihood of moving into higher levels of emotional loneliness also increases.

Other research has connected hearing loss with:

Loneliness and social isolation. A systematic review of 14 studies found that most multivariable-adjusted studies showed an association between hearing loss and higher risk of loneliness and social isolation [1].

Cognitive decline. The 2020 Lancet Commission on dementia prevention identified hearing loss as the largest potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia, with a population attributable fraction of approximately 9% [4].

Depression. A scoping review published in the International Journal of Audiology found connections between hearing loss, social isolation, and depressive symptoms across multiple studies [2].

It’s important to note that these are associations, not guarantees. Not everyone with hearing loss will experience these outcomes, and many factors influence mental health. However, the research does suggest that addressing hearing concerns may be a meaningful part of supporting overall well-being.

Can Hearing Treatment Help?

Recent research has begun to look at whether treating hearing loss can affect outcomes like loneliness, social engagement, and cognition.

The ACHIEVE randomized clinical trial, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, examined the effects of a hearing intervention on social isolation and loneliness in older adults [5]. Studies like this one are part of a growing body of research exploring how hearing care may support mental and social health.

While more research is needed, current evidence suggests that working with an Audiologist on hearing care may be one helpful step for people who are experiencing communication difficulties tied to hearing changes.

Signs Hearing Loss May Be Affecting You

Some signs that hearing loss may be affecting your daily life include:

Avoiding social events you used to enjoy

Feeling drained after conversations

Reducing how often you call or visit loved ones

Feeling left out, even around close family

Feeling more irritable or fatigued

Noticing that your spouse or family has commented on changes

Hearing changes often happen gradually, which can make them hard to notice on your own. Family members are often the first to notice, which is why a hearing evaluation with an Audiologist can be a useful step for both you and your loved ones.

What Loved Ones Can Do

If you’re reading this because of someone you care about, you’re not alone. Spouses and adult children often notice hearing changes before the person experiencing them does.

Helpful approaches include:

Being patient. Pressure can sometimes lead to resistance. A calm, ongoing conversation tends to work better.

Sharing specific observations. “I’ve noticed you’ve stopped going to book club” can be easier to hear than “You can’t hear anymore.”

Connecting it to what matters to them. Many people are more open to hearing care when they think about staying close to family or staying engaged in activities they value.

Offering to attend the appointment together. Going as a pair can make the visit easier and helps both of you understand the recommendations.

What a Hearing Evaluation Involves

A hearing evaluation with an Audiologist typically includes a discussion of your concerns and history, followed by a series of tests to measure how you hear different sounds and speech. The Audiologist will then review the results with you and discuss what they may mean.

If hearing loss is identified, your Audiologist can talk with you about options that may be appropriate for your situation. Recommendations vary from person to person, and the right path depends on your specific results, lifestyle, and goals.

There is no obligation tied to a hearing evaluation. The goal is simply to give you accurate information about your hearing so that you can make an informed choice about your next steps.

Book a Hearing Evaluation in Toronto

At Toronto Hearing Services, our Audiologist Lorraine Vosu provides hearing evaluations and hearing care services to patients in Toronto and the surrounding area. If you’ve noticed changes in your hearing, or a family member has, we’re here to answer your questions.

 

Sources

[1] Shukla, A., Harper, M., Pedersen, E., et al. (2020). Hearing Loss, Loneliness, and Social Isolation: A Systematic Review. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, 162(5), 622–633. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32151193/

[2] Vas, V., Akeroyd, M. A., & Hall, D. A. (2021). A scoping review of studies investigating hearing loss, social isolation and/or loneliness in adults. International Journal of Audiology. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14992027.2021.1915506

[3] Arjmandi, M. K., Jahn, K. N., & Newman, J. L. (2022). Is There an Association Between Untreated Hearing Loss and Psychosocial Outcomes? Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 14. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.868673/full

[4] Livingston, G., Huntley, J., Sommerlad, A., et al. (2020). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. The Lancet, 396(10248), 413–446. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30367-6/fulltext

[5] Lin, F. R., Pike, J. R., Albert, M. S., et al. (2025). Hearing Intervention, Social Isolation, and Loneliness: A Secondary Analysis of the ACHIEVE Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Internal Medicine. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2833601