At one point or another we have all faked it. We have all faked hearing what someone said. Maybe it was because you really weren’t paying attention. But if you have a hearing loss, you’ve probably faked hearing because you simply didn’t hear or understand what the person was saying.
A lot of the times when a person is faking to hear, they do the ole nod and smile trick. They just smile and nod to let the person speaking assume that they are being heard. Another trick that is used is paying attention to the reactions of those in a group. A person with hearing loss will look around at others and mimic their reactions. So, even though the person with hearing loss doesn’t understand what is being said, he/she will laugh and smile if everyone around him/her is laughing and smiling. A popular trick people use is to bring a “hearing helper” with them. “Hearing helpers” are people that go to places with the person who has hearing loss so they can hear for them and then fill them in with what was said later on.
If you are reading this, we are sure you have some other tricks up your sleeve to fake hearing, but in the long run, you are setting yourself up for failure. Important information can be missed at work or at doctor appointments when you fake you are hearing. Conversations with family and friends can be missed when faking to hear them and lead to disconnected relationships. Being asked a question when you are faking it can make you feel embarrassed or unintelligent.
For 2022, make your resolution be to stop faking you can hear!
First and foremost, be honest with yourself and those around you. Accept that you have difficulty hearing and let those around you know how they can help you hear better. For example, if you are in a meeting and are having difficulty hearing the speaker, ask to switch seats with someone who is sitting closer. Minimizing the distance between you and the speaker can benefit your ability to hear greatly.
Stop the competition. Trying to hear someone speak with competing noise in the background can be quite difficult. Put the TV on mute, ask people to speak one at a time, or move away from the noise to have a conversation.
But ultimately, we recommend that if you have an untreated hearing loss, treat it. Schedule an appointment with Lemme Audiology Associates by calling (814) 941-7770 for a hearing evaluation and hearing aid consultation. Besides being able to hear better, treating your hearing loss provides benefits to your emotional, physical, and cognitive health.
By Kristin Seiler – Practice Representative
