Opening Topic for Open Chat Night:  Depression, loneliness, and social anxiety due to hearing loss

I have learned that some people in my community have experienced a varying degree of social anxiety due to their hearing loss.  Whenever I go to any social gathering in a noisy environment, I struggle to hear all the words from a person who approaches me.  I hate to always ask them to repeat themselves because I’m afraid to give a bad impression and want to be seen as a normal person.  That is why I have such fear of going out or joining any group of people.  Because of that, I have avoided many social settings during my life.  It has put me in a situation of feeling like an outsider, lonely and depressed.  As of today, I’m trying to overcome these fears.

Share your stories on how anxiety has affected you due to your hearing loss.  I think learning the type of anxiety we face will help us improve the quality of our lives.

www.OpenChatNight.com

Opening Topic for Open Chat Night: Does your significant other also have hearing loss?

During the past several months, I have been conducting a poll on my Website asking if your significant other also has hearing loss.  About 34 percent of the votes responded with “yes.” 

I am curious to know because I have been looking to meet someone myself.  It has been very challenging for me to find someone and build any kind of close relationship.  I sometimes question myself whether part of the reason for not meeting someone is due to my hearing loss.  Would any girl I approach perceive me different than a normal guy only because I wear hearing aids?  But, I know other things too have played a major factor such as my shyness and being anti-social.  I’m trying very hard to change all of that and hopefully this will help me find a girlfriend down the road.

I had posted blogs earlier about my online dating experience and other social avenues for meeting people.  What are the pros and cons for building a relationship with someone, whether they have hearing loss or not?  Share your past experiences for being single and dating or married.  I think this will be beneficial for me and others in the hearing loss community looking to find someone special.

www.OpenChatNight.com

Here’s the latest community announcement for the upcoming event in my hometown!

Event Name:
Milwaukee Walk 4 Hearing (5K)

Date:
May 16, 2010

Time:
9:00 a.m. sign-in
10:00 a.m.  Walk starts

Location:
Veteran’s Park along Lincoln Memorial Drive on Milwaukee’s scenic lakefront

The Walk4Hearing 5k is part of a national effort to raise awareness about hearing loss and to end the stigma associated with it.  Championed by the Hearing Loss Association of Ameirca (HLAA), the Walk4Hearing is the largest series of walks of its kind, taking place in major cities across the U.S. with thousands of participants since its beginning in 2006. There are a variety of opportunities to participate, such as walking and raising funds, sponsoring a tem or walker, volunteering, or making a donation.

Contact:

Jean T. Szabo, Chair
Milwaukee Walk 4 Hearing
Szaboshhh@yahoo.com

Caroline Ludka, Co-Chair
and Sponsorship Co-ordinator
Milwaukee Walk 4 Hearing
CarolineLudka@yahoo.com

Registration/More Information: 
www.walk4hearing.org

Opening Topic for Open Chat Night:  Losing your hearing later in life

The meaning of “late deafened” is used for those who lose their hearing later in life.  While I was growing up, it never occurred to me that hearing loss can change over the years for some people even at an early age.  I always thought it mostly happened to people as they got older.

I was born with a mild to moderate hearing loss, and luckily my level of hearing impairment has not changed over the years.  However, there was a situation when I thought maybe something changed in my hearing.  It happened about two years ago when I noticed my hearing was low in my right ear during certain times, especially at night.  I was really worried because something like this never happened before.  Later, I found out my hearing aid was having problems and the receiver wasn’t functioning properly.  I was very fortunate.

It makes me concerned about losing more of my hearing as I grow older, but I try my best to remember to enjoy today and worry less about tomorrow.

I’m interested to know how people cope with losing their hearing over the years, and the affect it has had on life.

www.OpenChatNight.Com

Opening Topic for Open Chat Night:  Share your Community Involvement

I started my hearing loss community because I was feeling like an outsider.  It was always tough for me to have friends to hang out with and find a place feeling where I truly belong.  During my entire life, I have been surrounded by people in the hearing world.  I can’t hear the same as a normal person would hear and it does make a difference in every social setting.  I am learning that getting involved in a community with people having similar experiences is a huge benefit for me.  It makes me realize that I’m not alone in this world.

As my online group continues to grow, I am also getting involved in the local community.  I am attending the local hearing loss chapter meetings and have become part of the planning committee for Milwaukee Walk4Hearing.  I will be joining a group on Deaf Day held at UW-Milwaukee in the spring.  This will give me the opportunity to reach out to people and make new friends along the way.  I am hoping to learn basic signs down the road.

I’m very excited to get more involved in the community during the upcoming months.  I know this will be a challenging and rewarding experience for me.

I would like to hear your story about community involvement and how it has affected your life, as well as any thoughts or suggestions for getting more people involved.

www.openchatnight.com