Hearing Impairment and Disability

The word "disabled" brings forth a stereotypically negative, pitiful image of a helpless person to mind. When we think of disability, we do not generally add hearing impaired individuals to the group, yet according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) those with hearing loss are considered to be disabled and thus protected under this act.

Getting used to the idea of being hearing impaired and disabled can result in a shift in one’s self-perspective. This shift can often lead to a lack of confidence and a growing sense of weakness, helplessness, and dependence. Hearing impaired individuals, although considered to be disabled, do not need to feel weakened by this label. On the contrary, they can be beacons of hope by leading by example and breaking free from the stigma by leading independent, self-reliant lives through self-acceptance.

With proper treatment, hearing loss can be overcome thanks to the latest technological advancements in hearing aids. Being disabled does not make you powerless; it makes you capable of achieving great heights not despite your difficulties, but because of them. View your hearing impairment as another opportunity to challenge yourself and overcome whatever mental barriers you may have set upon yourself to set yourself free.